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THE 



CLOUD DISPELLED 



OR, T] 



ortritt^ of Ird^stinatioit feamiufJf. 



BY JOHN KIRK, 



TS^ITH AN IINTTROIDXJCTIOI^ 

BY . ,. 

KEY. DANIEL CURK^ ^.^-^ ^ ^ ^^ 5^ v 
NEW Y O K^} ■^' '-1 ^'"^ 






K TIBBALS & CO., 118 NASSAU STREET. 

PHILADEIPHIA : LTTTHEBAN PUBLICATION HOtrSE, NO. 42 NORTH NINTH 
BTBEET. BAXTDIOBB: T. NEWTON KTTBTZ, NO. 151 PBATT ST. 



«>- 1860. 



PUBLISHER'S PEEFACE. 



During the Session of the General Synod of the Evan- 
gelical Lutheran Church, at Pittsburgh (P^an.), in May, 
1859, several of its clergymen boarded in a Scotch family, 
that called their attention to a work on Predestination, 
brought with them from their native land, and which they 
prized very highly. These ministers examined the book, 
and were so much pleased with it that they recommended 
its republication here. The family were unwilling to dis- 
pose of it, as they were not aware that another copy could 
be procured in this country. Several months afterward they 
agreed to part with the volume on condition that they should 
receive several new copies in return for the one in their pos- 
session, and accordingly it was mailed to New York. 

The book, although published in 1847, presented a very 
venerable appearance, and looked as if it had been a 
product of the last century, so extensively had it circulated 
for perusal among the acquaintances of the family in Pitts- 
burgh. 

We are not aware that any work on this doctrine, of a 
moderate size, at a moderate price, and calculated for gen- 
eral reading, has been issued in this country, and by the 
publication of these Lectures we hope to fill a vacant place 
in our religious literature. The subject has been largely 
treated by theologians in their voluminous works, but they 
are beyond the reach of the masses. 



iv publisher's preface. 

These Lectures are written in such plainness of style 
that people generally can understand and appreciate them, 
while at the same time those who have read theology ex- 
tensively can not but be attracted and instructed by their 
solid reasoning and strong common sense. 

Hoping that they may dispel the cloud which has hung 
over the minds of many in regard to this much disputed 
subject, we present, with confidence, these Lectures to the 
judgment of an enlightened and discriminating Christian 
pubhc. 

New York, August, 1860. 



INTRODUCTION 



It is some where remarked by that most acute 
and subtle of tliinkerSj — Coleridge, — that ^^ had 
it been the object of the demon of dispute to in- 
vent a question in which all possible difficulties 
should be collected, it could not have been ac- 
complished more to his heart's content than by 
starting this of Free Sovereign Grace." Setting 
out with a profession of special deference for the 
authoritative teachings of revelation, as com- 
pared with that of human reason and the intui- 
tions of the understanding, the advocates of the 
doctrine of predestination proceed to build up 
that system by a process of strictly logical de- 
ductions. The recognition of the infinite Knowl- 
edge of God, comprehending as its objects, all 
things real and possible, — past, present, and 
future, is^ made to so occupy the mind as to 
exclude all practical apprehension of the other 
attributes of the Godhead, and to foreclose their 
influence upon the conceptions of the divine 
character and government. With this recogni*- 



VI INTRODUCTION. 

tion of God's omniscience as a first premise, the 
argument prgceeds by inferring the eflScient pre- 
ordination of the things foreseen. Then to es- 
cape the appearance of a conflict between such 
an exercise of divine power with the principles 
and claims of justice, that attribute of God 
is degraded to a mere proprietary right, — the 
tyrant's power to do as he may please with his 
own. This view of the divine character is not 
only partial, and therefore monstrous, it is self- 
contradictory and self-destructive. God, as thus 
presented, is contemplated as a being possessing 
all knowledge, but without wisdom, and with all 
power but without love, — a blind omnipotence 
acting without a purpose or moral design. As 
thus considered, wisdom and goodness do not ap- 
pear among the impelling and guiding influences 
by which the divine power is exercised : they 
are only the results of the relation of his acts to 
himself, and his acts are not performed by him, 
because they are wise or good, but they are so 
because he performs them. 

The questions at issue between the advocates 
and the opposers of the doctrine of predestination 
are not likely soon to be settled. Both sides find 
abundant Scripture proofs in favor of their own 
peculiar views, but these proof-texts convey very 



INTRODUCTION. Vll 

different ideas to different classes of minds. In 
most cases of disputation upon the subject evi- 
dently the strife is simply about words, and in 
not a few the whole subject is quite beyond the 
mental grasp of the disputants. It is always 
important that those who debate on any ques- 
tion should first ascertain in how far they are 
agreed, and so to narrow the questions at issue 
to those as to which there is a real disagreement. 
As between the friends and the enemies of 
the theological system popularly denominated 
Calvinism, this precaution is often neglected. 
With the former that system includes all the 
great doctrines of salvation by grace, — so that 
the doctrines of Origioal Sin, Justification by 
Faith, and of Salvation by pure unmixed grace, 
and by the sole merits of Christ's death, are 
accounted distinctive elements of doctrinal Cal- 
vinism. And yet all of these are believed and 
cherished by multitudes who reject the name of 
Calvinists, and do not hold the distinctive tenets 
of Calvinism. Between Calvinists and their 
opponents the controversy is not about the doc- 
trines of grace, but of predestination ; though 
the former strangely enough confound the two 
together. To minds trained and habituated to 
the modes of thought and the modes of inter- 



Vm INTRODUCTION. 

pretation of Scripture that prevail among Cal- 
vinists, the Bible no donbt seems to be full of 
the doctrine of predestination : while to minds 
educated beyond the warping influence of an 
artificial and one-sided creed, the strongest proof- 
texts of the predestinarians are readily harmo- 
nized with the general teachings of the Bible, 
as these agree with the instincts of natural jus- 
tice and righteousness in the human heart. 

It is only just to concede to the advocates of 
the doctrine of predestination great praise for 
the clear and strong light in which they set some 
of the great doctrines of religion. From no 
other source do we meet with more just and 
worthy exhibitions of the majesty and glory of 
God, and of his awful Sovereignty. And from 
this view of the divine Majesty the mind passes 
naturally and almost necessarily to apprehend 
the guilt and vileness of sin, and the greatness 
of the work of re'demption as to both the power 
and the price by which it is effected. But their 
fault is, that while thus exalting the divine glory 
in one of its aspects, they hide and becloud it in 
others equally important. The Almiglity God 
is more than an awful Sovereign : He is also a 
tender and loving Father, delighting to do good 
to all His children. To contemplate the divine 



INTEODUCTION. IX 

character without clearly recognizing this distin- 
guishing glory of His name, is at once erroneous 
and damaging. God is indeed a Being of in- 
finite majesty and dominion, and therefore He is 
to be feared and worshijjed by all His creatures. 
He is also the Father of the Spirits of all flesh, 
— our heavenly Father, who knows and cares for 
all our wants — we may therefore confide in His 
goodness, and rejoice in His loving-kindness. And 
because the doctrine of predestination obscures 
these glories of the Godhead, it should be re- 
jected as contrary alike to Scripture and reason. 
The doctrine of predestination labors under 
the disadvantage of being opposed to the best 
instincts of our nature. It can not be denied 
that to most minds the notion, that the charac- 
ter and destiny of each individual are fixed 
by an eternal and irreversible decree, seems to 
make God unjust, and the whole array of ex- 
hortations, warnings and promises found in the 
Gospel, a mere mockery and cruel farce. It 
would, indeed, be harsh and unfair to hold 
those who accept that doctrine responsible for 
what to others seem to be its necessary implica- 
tions ; though the system itself mmst be held 
to such a responsibility. It is especially when 
brought to this test that the weakness of the 



X INTRODUCTION. 

system appears. Only let its opposers grant all 
that it claims, and then allow these assumptions 
to run onward to their legitimate consequences, 
and the system breaks down under the weight 
thus laid upon it. And this method of dealing 
with the subject is not only legitimate, it is the 
only one by which the question can be tested. 
As a subject of abstract reasoning, it is too vast 
and abstruse for our limited powers, and we 
can judge of it only by its relations to things 
which we are able to understand. We are more 
than authorized to reject any doctrine which 
dishonors God by contravening those eternal 
principles of justice, righteousness, and truth 
which He has implanted in our natures, and 
which we recognize as emanations from His own 
fullness. It is enough for us to know that our 
God will do right, — that He both punishes 
transgressors, and keeps mercy for thousands 
who love Him. In this aspect we delight to 
contemplate Him. The doctrine of predestina- 
tion is, in the heart that receives it, a cloud 
dimming the brightness of the divine glory : 
but by the rising of the sun of Gospel truth 
that cloud is dispelled, and all men may see that 
God is love. 

To aid in the work of dispelling this cloud 



INTRODUCTION. XI 

which an artificial and extra-Scriptural theology 
has interposed between men's minds and the 
divine glory, is the design of the following 
pages. J^lieving that undue claims to exclu- 
sive orthodoxy and to supereminent evangelism 
have been prefeiTed in favor of those who em- 
brace the doctrines of predestination, the Author 
has brought those doctrines to the tests of 
Scripture and reason, and has not only there 
stripped them of their false claims, but also 
convicted them of dishonoring rather than ex- 
alting the divine name. Here in a concise form 
the sincere inquirer after the truth may find 
the substance of the Calvinistic controversy 
presented with all requisite fullness, and its 
strange conclusions satisfactorily reversed. It 
is proper, and perhaps as should be expected, 
that Scotland, the land in which beyond all 
others the doctrine of predestination has had 
sway, should afford the needed antidote, and 
we are happy to present such a preparation in 
this little volume, to which the reader's atten- 
tion is solicited, with the full conviction that 
its perusal can not fail to induce juster views 
of the divine dispensations, as harmonizing 
'with the attributes of God, and with those 
principles of truth, justice, and goodness, which 



Xn INTRODUCTION. 

He has implanted in men's hearts. With this 
conviction as to its relations and probable in- 
fluences, is this little work now given to the 
American public, and with the earnest hope 
that under the blessing of God it may vindi- 
cate and diffuse His glory, and so contribute 
to the highest interest of His kingdom in the 
earth. 

Daniel Curry. 

New Rochelle, N. T., Sept., 1860. 



AUTHOR'S PREFACE. 



Our Grod and Saviour is frequently represented in the 
Bible as a Sun — a glorious center of light and life. All 
who know Him are most fully prepared to acknowledge 
the appropriateness of the figure, and to yield their adoring 
affection to the attractive loveKness of Jehovah. Many 
there are, however, who '-know not God," and who are 
perishing " for lack of knowledge." Error has taken the 
place of truth in their minds — error that covers the whole 
field of their spiritual vision, and shrouds the great and holy 
One in the deepest darkness. The experience of such is, 
that the .less they think of Him the happier they feel. Very 
lately, I met with a most interesting person, who had been 
for many years in such a state of mind as to be unable to 
open a Bible, 'or hsten to a word about God, without ex- 
periencing the most overwhelming horror. To a superfi- 
cial observer, the experience of this person might have 
seemed the result of mental disease ; but this idea is com- 
pletely set aside by the fact that her suffering commenced 
by reading and hearing statements, that represented Jeho- 
vah as having, from aU eternity, elected a portion of man- 
kind, and as having reprobated the rest, while it was com- 
pletely removed by the exposition of His true character. 
There are many such cases while there are m^ny others in 
whom utter neglect of God is the result of this error re- 
garding Him. The view given of His character and ways 



XIV AUTHORS PREFACE. 

is of such a kind, as to appear an inextricable perplexity to 
their minds, and it is left in indifference as a subject on 
which they are not called to decide. Thousands are sink- 
ing into eternity who have no real hold upon the Rock of 
Ages, from these causes. 

The object of this little volume is to dispel the erroneous 
conceptions that many have formed of Jehovah, in connec- 
tion with the doctrine of predestination. The substance of 
what is thus published, having been delivered in a course 
of lectures, and several brought to rejoice in the Lord, 
through this means, it appeared desirable to give the expo- 
sition this more permanent form, that in the hand of the 
great Deliverer, the truth might be useful to a much wider 
circle than could otherwise be reached. Deeply conscious 
of the imperfection of the effort so far as I am concerned, 
but confident in the truth and in that God whose honor I 
have sought to vindicate, I commend these pages to Him, 
and to the careful consideration of my fellow-men. 

J. K. 

Edinettegh, 1st June, 1847. 



CONTENTS 



LECTURE L 

PAGE 

Predestinatiox and the Foreknowledge of God. . . 17 

LECTURE II. 
Predestination and the Wisdom of God ..... 40 

LECTURE IIL 
Predestination and the Justice of God . , , . . 56 

LECTURE IV. 
Predestination and the Truth of God . . . . . . 13 

LECTURE Y. 
Predestination and the Love of God 81 

LECTURE Yl. 
Predestination and the Crucifixion op Jesus . . . 105 

LECTURE YII. 
Predestination and God's Purpose in Jesus .... lit 

LECTURE YIIL 
Predestination and the Wickedness op Men , . . 129 



XVI CONTENTS. 



LECTURE IX. 

FAOR 

Predestination and the Stumbling of Men . . . • 143 



LECTUEE X. 

Predestination and the Infatuation of the Repro- 
bate 152 

LECTURE XL ^ 

Predestination and the Hardening op Hearts . . 112 



LECTURE XIL 
Predestination and the Death op the Reprobate . 198 

LECTURE XIII. 
Predestination and a foreordained Judgment . . 21*7 

LECTURE XIV. 
Predestination and the Book op Life 233 

LECTURE XV. 
Predestination as found in the Bible 24*7 

LECTURE XVI. 
Predestination and the Security of Believers . . 261 

LECTURE XVIL 
Predestination as a Foundation of Hope . . . . 2t4 



THE CLOUD DISPELLED. 



LECTUEEI. 

PREDESTINATION AND THE FOREKNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 

The subject of discussion on which we are now 
entering is one of no trilling moment. If we re- 
gard it in the light of a doctrine that has been wo- 
ven into the very texture of the mind of our coun- 
try — that sways the feelings, and influences tlie 
consciences of vast multitudes of our fellow-men — 
it must appear worthy of most serious and earnest 
attention. Or, if we regard it as most vitally af- 
fecting the character of our God, its claims upon 
our consideration are incalculable. Let us, then, in 
the spirit of those who seek truth for its own sake, 
for man's sake, and for the sake of the honor of our 
God, enter on, and j^ursue this momentous subject. 

You are probably aware that the Catechism 
which we, and millions of others, have committed 
to memory from our earliest years, contains the 
doctrine, that "the decrees of God are His eternal 
purpose, according to the counsel of His will, where- 
by, for His own glory, He hath foreordained what- 
soever comes to pass." This is a plain declaration, 
that God has foreordained " whatsoever comes 

2* 



18 PREDESTIKATION AND 

TO PASS." This doctrine has taken a deep hold 
upon the minds of men. When a crime is commit- 
ted by persons who are held deeply guilty before 
God, nothing is more common than the saying, " It 
was before them, and they could not get past it." 
A friend of mine, on entering a company, some 
time ago, had occasion to state, that on the night 
before, a man had committed suicide in the most 
fearful manner. What effect did the relation of 
this worst of crimes produce upon one of the oldest 
and apparently most serious of the company? Sim- 
ply this : She exclaimed, — "Poor man, his time was 
come." Such was the principal feature in the case, 
as it appeared to her mind, and such is the legiti- 
mate conclusion from the doctrine, that whatsoever 
comes to pass is foreordained. Many have thus im- 
bibed the doctrine of a universal predestination, 
while many others, of more reflective minds, stum- 
ble over it, and are thus effectually prevented from 
seeing the true character of their God. These con- 
siderations, then, ought to weigh heavily with us, 
in leading our minds to the test of eternal truth, on 
a subject that has taken a position of such import- 
ance. First of all, it is right that I should state 
clearly the doctrine w^hich I mean to bring to the 
test. It is not that there is such a thing as predes- 
tination. I believe that many events that have come 
to pass have been decreed to take place by God. 
The doctrine to be considered is that of universal 
PREDESTINATION — the doctriuc, that whatsoever 

COMES to pass is ETERNALLY FOREORDAINED. This 

is the doctrine which lias been quoted from the 
Catechism, and which leads men and women to say 



THE FOEEKNOWLEDGE OP GOD. 19 

of crime committed by them, — " It was before us, 
and we could not get past it ; " and it is this doc- 
trine that hides from many an inquiring mind the 
true glory of the character of Jehovah. It is this 
doctrine, therefore, that must be brought to the 
test ; and I shall endeavor to do so by bringing 
saving truth to bear on it, so that, while we reason 
on predestination, the mhid may be led into the 
riches of " the glorious gospel of the blessed God." 
As it is necessary, in an inquiry of this kind, to 
begin at the foundation of the subject on hand, our 
attention is first called to the relation in which the 
doctrine of universal predestination is supposed to 
stand to the foreknowledge of God. This is stated 
by a living author of no small influence, as follows; 
" The question is, does God fix a thing simply be- 
cause He foreknows it ? or does He foreknow it be- 
cause He has fixed it? There are vague ideas in 
men's minds on these points, and it is well to know 
the truth with distinctness. I answer, then, unhes- 
itatingly, that predestination must be the founda- 
tion of foreknowledge. God foreknows everything 

THAT TAKES PLACE iSECAUSE He HAS FIXED IT." * 

Nothing can be more explicit than this; and if God 
HAS FIXED EVERYTHixG, the pcrsous who Say of 
their own crimes, or the crimes of others, " they 
were before us, and we could not get past them," 
are perfectly right. It is impossible that they could 
get past that which God had fixed for them. A 
man with whom I conversed some time ago, went 
to his minister with the difi[iculty of election or pre- 
destination upon his anxious heart. After a good 
* Truth and Error. By H. Bonar. 



20 PREDESTINATION AND 

deal of explanation, which still left the man's mind 
in the same state of darkness, he asked the minister 
if it did not, after all, come to this : that if he had 
been elected, he would be saved, and if not, his 
salvation was impossible ? The minister repHed, 
that however inconsistent it might appear to their 
minds, it did come to tliat. It must, then, be care- 
fully marked, that in the doctrine of universal pre- 
destination, there is distinctly involved the predesti- 
nation of sin^ as well as of life and death. Indeed, 
this is distinctly stated by the author before us. 
He says : — " Here is something still more striking. 
The deeds of these wicked men ( the murderers of 
Jesus) are said to have come to pass according to 
his counsel." Again, "They teach us plainly, that 
our world's history, in all its things, great and small, 
is a history of events preordained by God from 
eternity." If this be true, then again we say that 
those are right, and in no error, who say of their 
crimes^ "they were before us, and we could not get 
past them." At present, then, our desire is to call 
earnest attention to this doctrine, as it is supposed 
to issue out of the Bible truth of the foreknowledge 
of God. The great, and, in many cases, insupera- 
ble difficulty of the mind is thus stated. God, by 
His omniscience, foreknows everything that comes to 
pass. He can not foreknow that which is uncer- 
tain, therefore all is fixed. In this chapter, I shall 
call attention to two important branches of reason- 
ing; First, to the scriptural denial of the foreordi- 
nation of sin ; and, Second, to the fallacy by which 
that false doctrine is founded upon the omniscience 
of God. 



THE FOREKNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 21 

I. The scriptural denial of the doctrine 
THAT Jehovah has foreordained iniquity. 

It may be thought strange, by many readers, that 
we should require to produce formal scriptural proof 
on such a subject as this ; yet, let it be remembered, 
that if sin be not foreordained, then, " whatsoever 
comes to pass " is not foreordained ; and the theory, 
that God foreknows everything because He has fixed 
everything, is a false theory. It is thus of vital im- 
portance to our argument to see that the Bible re- 
pudiates the whole doctrine, by repudiating that 
part of it which has respect to sin. 

1. Consider the loords of God in Jeremiah vii. 
29-31 :, " Cut off thine hair, O Jerusalem, and cast 
it away, and take up a lamentation on high places ; 
for the Lord hath rejected and forsaken the genera- 
tion of His wrath. For the children of Judah have 
done evil in my sight, saith the Lord, they have set 
their abominations in the house which is called by 
my name, to pollute it ; and they have built the high 
places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the son 
of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters 
in the fire ; which I commanded not, 7ieither come 
it into my heart.'''' N"ow, let us suppose that "what- 
soever comes to pass " is foreordained by God, and 
then we must admit that these sins of Judah were 
foreordained by Him. These sins " came to pass." 
How does this theory look in the presence of Jeho- 
vah's most solemn protestations in the verses now 
quoted ? Mark, he tells Jerusalem to cut off her 
hair, and to cast it away in token of deep and des- 
perate grief. Why should she do this ? Is it be- 



22 PREDESTINATION AND 

cause that has come to pass which Jehovah decreed ? 
Is she to exercise inconsolable grief, because the 
eternal determinations of her God have not been 
counteracted and rendered a failure ? How is it 
possible for men to credit the affirmative of such a 
monstrous question ? But, further, the Lord is said 
to liave rejected and forsahen the generation who 
committed, or brought to pass, these things; and 
He designates them "the generation of His wrath." 
Are we, then, to believe that they became the peo- 
ple of His indignation, and were rejected and for- 
saken because they brought to pass that which had 
been decreed by Himself from all eternity ? To 
such a question we must reply in the affirmative, if 
it be true that everything that " comes to pass " is 
fixed to be as it is by the eternal decree of God. 
The author who says that God foreknows every- 
thing that takes place, because He has fixed it^ and 
who thus holds that God fixed from eternity that 
Judah was to commit the sins spoken of before us, 
holds that that generation were rejected and forsa- 
ken as a generation of wrath, because they did 
that which God from eternity had fixed to be done ! 
Now, my reader, can you believe this? Are you 
prepared to declare that such doctrine is the truth 
of God ? If so, how can you feel sorry for sin ? 
How can you feel remorse for having fulfilled the 
eteinal decree of your God? How can you regard 
that God, when you see Him rejecting, and forsaking, 
and eternally punishing men for doing that which 
He Himself irrevocably decreed to be done ? You 
must feel difficulty in allowing your mind to rest 
for a moment in tlie contemplation of such a char- 



THE FOREKNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 23 

acter as professedly divine. But observe further, 
Jehovah says that He commanded not these things. 
This may be admitted. Well, He goes further. He 
says that " they came not into His lieartP Can you 
still hold that He had them in His heart from all 
eternity, as the things which He determined, and 
fixed to take place for His own glory ? I know it is 
possible to bind the mind to the reception of any 
idea, however absurd it may be, by saying, " it is 
spoken after the manner of men." Let us, then, ap- 
ply this theory to the case before us. Let us sup- 
pose that a man's family are completely under his 
control, so that he can make them do exactly what 
he chooses. Well, he determines that a portion of 
thera shall furnish him with an opportunity of con- 
demning and punishing them, that he may display 
what he calls his justice. In order to this, he de- 
crees secretly that they shall commit the most hor- 
rid crimes, and as they do commit these crimes, 
they are just carrying out his own determinations. 
What would you think of the '"'• w.anner'^'' of the 
man who, in such a case, would protest, in the pres- 
ence of his condemned children, that the sins they 
had committed had never entered his heart ? Most 
unquestionably you would hold his manner to be 
that of a devil, and not of a man. How, then, can 
you venture to ascribe to God such a " manner " as 
this? Yet you must either do so, or forever aban- 
don and condemn the doctrine that He has " foreor- 
dained whatsoever comes to pass." I dwell upon 
the solemn declaration of Jehovah, because nothing 
but the omnipotence of divine truth itself will meet 
the tenacity with which men cling to the idea, that 



24 PREDESTINATION AND 

all is foreknown^ because all is foreordained. It 
is an idea that is regarded by multitudes as an axi- 
om — as a truth that no sane man can dispute. We 
confront it, therefore, by the solemn words of God 
Himself, as He flatly contradicts it. But we must 
proceed to the passage that is parallel to that now 
considered. 

2. Take the loords of Jehovah in Jeremiah xix. 
1-6 : " Thus saith the Lord, Go and get a potter's 
earthen bottle, and take of the ancients of the peo- 
ple, and of the ancients of the priests; and go 
forth into the valley of the son of Hinnom, which 
is by the entry of the east gate, and proclaim there 
the words that I shall tell thee ; and say, Hear ye 
the word of the Lord, O kings of J udah, and in- 
habitants of Jerusalem ; thus saith the Lord of 
Hosts, the God of Israel, Behold, I will bring evil 
upon this place, the which whosoever heareth, his 
ears shall tingle. Because they have forsaken me, 
and have estranged this place, and have burnt in- 
cense in it unto other gods, whom neither they nor 
their fathers have knoAvn, nor the kings of Judah, 
and have tilled this place with the blood of inno- 
cents ; they have built also the high places of Baal, 
to burn their sons with fire for burnt-offerings unto 
Baal, which I commanded not, nor spake it, neither 
came it into my mind : therefore, behold the days 
come, saith the Lord, that this place shall no more 
be called Tophet, nor the valley of the son of Hin- 
nom, but the valley of slaughter." This is a still 
stronger passage than tliat in the seventh chapter of 
this prophet. It is important to notice some of its 
most striking features. The prophet was directed 



THE FOREKNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 25 

to take " a potter's earthen bottle," to represent 
the people and the city to whom he was to address 
himself. After speaking to them the words of Je- 
liovah, he was to break the bottle in pieces before 
them, as a sign of the fearful judgment with w^hich 
God would punish the iniquities which they had 
committed. God said that He would bring evil on 
the place, that whosoever heard of it his ears should 
tingle. He said emphatically — " they have forsa- 
ken me." This could not mean anything less, or 
else, than that they had forsaken His friendship 
and His laws. They could not escape from His 
presence. He says further, " they have estranged 
this place." How could they estrange it but by 
using it contrary to His purposes regarding it. If 
they did all that they effected in accordance with 
His eteraal decree, how could they be justly said 
to have estranged the place ? But mark what He 
says respecting their crimes — " which I commanded 
not, nor spake it, neither came it into 7ny mindy 
It is impossible for Jehovah, as a holy and sin-hating 
God, to speak in stronger terms than these. With 
the man who values the word of his God above the 
axioms of his own reason, the question must be 
settled here. When He says that the sins came 
not into Sis 'inind, to say that, notwithstanding 
this declaration, He fixed that they should take 
place, is to contradict Him in the plainest possible 
manner. 

We shall have occasion afterward to consider 
other passages of Scripture containing a similar de- 
nial of the doctrine in question. Let these suffice 
at present. It is better that the mind should have 
3 



26 PEEDESTINATION AND 

the full advantage of two such decisive protests, on 
the part of God, than that it should be led to feel 
as if many such were required in order that they 
might prove conclusive. When Jehovah says, re- 
specting a series of events, that they came not into 
His mind^ the man that still insists that He ordain- 
ed them to take place for His own glory, may say 
anything else. He is assuredly proof against every 
thing like the force of divine authority in the Bible. 
O, ray hearer, remember that it is no trifling mat- 
ter to have such a declaration as that now before 
us to contend with. It is no slight sin to set aside 
such a solemn denial of having anything to do with 
evil, when that denial is made by the living God. 
" Heaven and earth shall pass away, but His words 
shall not pass away." They w^ill come up in judg- 
ment at last, and confront those who have set them 
aside, and if any word must thus appear in judg- 
ment, it must be that before us. It was at the hour 
of judgment to the guilty Israelites that it was first 
uttered. Let us, then, feel the weight of these pas- 
sages against the supposed axiom, that whatever is 
foreknown is fixed of God to take place. 

IL Consider the fallacy upon which the 

DOCTRINE OF THE FOEEORDINATION OF SIN IS 
FOUNDED. 

The mind may be placed in great difiiculty by a 
mere scriptural denial of a particular doctrine — it 
may not have been accustomed to bow with implicit 
submission to the words of the Bible ; or it may 
have been under the power of that most mislead- 



THE FOREKNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 27 

ing of all notions, that the Book of God contains 
doctrines that must appear to us contradictory. 
Although, to such a mind, you produce the strong- 
est assertion, from the Word of God, disproving a 
particular doctrine, the man is not led to abandon 
the doctrine thus disproved. It is needful, there- 
fore, to point out the flaw that vitiates the doctrine 
in question, and exposes it to the denial of G^>d. 

1. Let us have the doctrine again dearly before 
us. The substance of it is this, — that because it is 
admitted that God foreknows whatsoever comes to 
pass, and because He could not have foreknown it 
unless He had fixed that it should take place, there- 
fore God foreordained every thing that comes to 
pass, and that from all eternity. A correct idea of 
the doctrine may be derived from the argument 
founded upon it in the following conversation. It 
is supposed to be here presented in a light in which 
it is unanswerable. " If I am not mistaken," says 
the author, from whom I quote, " the conversation 
related took place more than half a century ago. 
It is, however, very suitable as an illustration of 
some of the points discussed in the preceding 
pages. The chief speaker was a minister of an In- 
dependent congregation. Being once on a journey, 
he was overtaken by a stranger, who urged some 
objections to predestination, and, among others, 
that it made God unjust. 

"'Before that can be admitted,' said the minis- 
ter, ' you must prove that God owes eternal life to 
any of His fallen creatures ; and further, that the 
vindication of a mortal is essential to the equity of 
a God. Besides, the question is not, what are the 



28 PREDESTINATION AND 

difficulties connected with the doctrine, or can a 
worm solve them all?— but, is this doctrine of pre- 
destination scriptnrally and philosophically true, or 
is it not? The difficulties of the subject will prove 
nothing against the fact ; and he that brings the 
legislation of his Creator before the tribunal of his 
own understanding, should first be able to measure 
the lefigth of His eternity, the breadth of His im- 
mensity, the height of His wisdom, and the depth 
of His decrees. Is it not a sad evidence of human 
depravity, that creatures of a day will sit in judg- 
ment on spiritual and eternal things, as if the Au- 
thor of the great mystery of godliness were alto- 
gether such an one as themselves ? ' 

" ' I hope you will not be offended,' replied the 
gentleman, ' if I declare, notwithstanding all you 
advance, I do not^ I can iiot^ believe in this doctrine 
of predestination.' 

" ' And I hope,' rejoined Mr. C, ' that you will 
not be offended if I declare I am quite of opinion 
you do believe in it.' 

" ' I beg, sir,' said the other, ' you will explain 
yourself 

" 'If you will favor me with the short answer of 
Yes or N'o, to a few explicit questions I shall take 
the liberty to propose,' replied Mr. C, * I have 
little doubt but I can prove what I have affirmed.' 

" ' It will afford me great satisfaction,' said the 
otlier, *to comply with your proposal.' 

" Mr. C. then began : ' Are you of opinion that 
all sinners will be saved ? ' 

" * By no means,' said the gentleman. 

" ' But you have no doubt,' added Mr. C, * it 



THE FOREKNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 29 

will be formally and finally determined, at the day 
of judgment, who are to be saved, and who are to 
perish ? ' 

" ' I am certainly of that opinion,' replied the 
stranger. 

" ' I would ask, then,' continued Mr. C, ' is the 
great God under any necessity of waiting till these 
last awful assizes, in order to determine who are 
the righteous that are to be saved, and the wicked 
who are to perish ? ' 

" ' By no means,' said the other, ' for He certainly 
knows already.' 

" ' When do you imagine,' asked Mr. C, ' that 
He first attained this knowledge ? ' 

"Here the gentleman paused, and hesitated a 
little; but soon answered, 'He must have known 
from all eternity.' 

"'Then,- said Mr. C, 'it must have been fixed 
from all eternity.' 

" 'That by no means follows,' replied the other. 

" 'Then it follows,' added Mr. C, ' that He did 
not knoio from all eternity, but only guessed^ and 
happened to guess right; for how can Omniscience 
Jcnoio what is yet uncertain ? ' 

" Here the stranger began to perceive his diffi- 
culty ; and after a short debate, confessed it should 
seem it must have been fixed from eternity. 

"'Now,' said Mr. C, 'one question more will 
prove that you believe in predestination as well as 
I. You have acknowledged, what can never be 
disproved, that God could not know from eternity 
who shall be saved, unless it had been fixed from 

3* 



30 PREDESTINATION AND 

eternity. If, then, it was fixed, be pleased, sir, to 
inform me who fixed it ? ' 

" X^i^ gentleman candidly acknowledged he had 
never taken this view of the subject before, and 
said he believed it would be the last time he should 
attempt to oppose predestination to eternal life.'' 

In many minds this is supposed to be an invinci- 
ble argument ; and many an inquirer has been si- 
lenced and left in inextricable difficulty when plied 
with it, as this gentleman was. 

2. Let us see now lohere the strength of the argu- 
ment lies. This will be seen in the virtual assertion 
contained in these words, " How can Omniscience 
know that which is uncertain ? " Study carefully 
the whole conversation, and you will find that if 
Omniscience may, or can knoio^ that which is yet 
uncertain, the whole argument, and every argu- 
ment of the kind, falls to the ground. The minis- 
ter virtually asserts that even God caoi not foreknow 
an event which is yet uncertain ; aiid here, and 
here alone^ has his argument a resting place. Take 
this away, and it is gone. Show that Omniscience 
may know of the coming of an event, without Om- 
nipotence fixing that event, and so rendering it cer- 
tain^ and the whole boasted fabric crumbles in an 
instant into dust. It is important to notice this 
moHt carefullv. Nothins^ can be of sjreater moment 
in dealing with an argument that contradicts God, 
than seeing most clearly the assertion upon which 
it rests. This is of special importance in this in- 
stance, because the assertion is so manifestly of a 
suspicious nature — ^" Omniscience can not know ! " 
These are suspicious words — words that can not be 



THE FOREKNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 31 

reflected on without exciting a degree of suspicion 
in regard to the assertion in which they occur. 
What is it, we are apt to ask, that Omnisciexce 
CAN NOT KNOW? What does omniscience mean? 
Does it not mean all-knowing ? What is it that 
an all-knowing mind can not know ? The assertion 
is that it CAN not know "that which is yet uncer- 
tain." Well, here is the peg upon which the whole 
matter hangs : that which is supposed to be a per- 
fect axiom in defense of predestination as universal, 
is the simple assertion that God Himself can not 
know the coming of an event unless He has first 
fixed that it shall come. 

3. Let us novj test this assertion. It is not so 
self-evident, nor is it so clear a quotation of the Bi- 
ble, that it may not be questioned and put to the 
test. 

(l.) It proves too much. It is used to prove 
that eternal life is a subject of predestination. It 
is also used to prove that the act of God in con- 
demning the wicked is predetermined. But mark 
well, my hearer, that it proves, as certainly, the 
predestinating of every sin as that of either eternal 
life or condemnation at the seat of final judgment. 
If God can not know that which is yet uncertain, 
and thus must have fixed all that He knew would 
take place, then every lie, and theft, and murder, 
that have ever been committed in time, must have 
been fixed of God to take place, and that from all 
eternity. Then, we say again, that the statement 
of the criminal, " it was before me, and I could not 
get past it," is true. The argument either proves 
this, or it proves nothing. If the crime of the mur- 



32 PREDESTINATION AND 

derer might be foreknown without being fixed, 
then every thing else may. Hence, there is not 
even the shadow of consistency in those who deny 
the eternal predestination of sin, and yet use this 
argument. God foreknew the sin — the assertion is 
that He can not foreknow that which is not fixed, 
and in eternity no one could have fixed the coming- 
events but Himself. Thus it is made to appear that 
He fixed every sin that ever was committed, to be 
committed just as it is, so that a crime is just the 
result of God's eternal decree as truly as any thing 
possibly can be ! When will the blinded mind see 
the horrid nature of such a doctrine as this? Look 
closely to it, my hearer, and ask your own soul if 
there must not be something wrong with an asser- 
tion that, if admitted, inevitably proves the predes- 
tination of every sin, and that by a sin-abhorring 
God? 

(2.) The assertion in question is contradictory 
in its own terms. This I have already noticed as 
giving ground for suspicion in regard to it. I no- 
tice it now more particularly to show that it is false. 
Observe, then, the word Omniscience. It means 

THE POWDER OF ALL-KNOWLEDGE, Or the pOWCr in 

God of knowing all things. The assertion is, 
that if any thing is '"''yet uncertain^^ this power in 
God CAN not take it in — that Jehovah, though pos- 
sessing the power of infinite knowledge, can not 
know an event which is yet uncertain. Now, this 
is plainly saying that the power of the divine mind 
to know is infinite, and yet it is finite — that it is 
capable of knowing all things, but not capable of 
knowing an uncertain event. I can not see how it 



THE FOREKNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 33 

is possible for an assertion more fully to contradict 
itself. 

( 3.) The assertion measures divine knowledge 
by the standard of human knowledge. We are not 
sure but it gives less power to the knowledge of 
God, than must, in right, be granted to the knowl- 
edge of man. Even man may know, and that with 
a feeling of the most perfect certainty, how events, 
yet future, will occur ; and yet these events may be 
entirely beyond his control, and suspended upon the 
fickle will of his fellow-man. But we insist not on 
this. Even if we admitted the impossibility of hu- 
man knowledge grasping with certainty the future 
occurrence of an event which is yet left perfectly 
uncertain, does it follow that we must transfer this 
incapacity to know of such an event to the knowl- 
edge of God ? By no means. Man is less than 
nothing and vanity, when compared with God ; and 
though it w^ere impossible with man, that would be 
no reason for supposing it so with God. The per- 
son Avho first uttered the question, " how can Om- 
niscience hnow that which is yet uncertain," no 
doubt felt that he could not know such events ; but 
it was too much to conclude, therefore, that God 
could not know them. 

Here it is most important to remark, in passing, 
that the word " uncertain " is an ambiguous word, 
and hence apt to mislead the mind, when used in 
such a question as that under consideration. It is 
very generally used to signify that of which we are 
as yet ignorant. For example, an event has occur- 
red in a foreign land, and the news takes months to 
reach this country. Two persons meet to converse 



34 PREDESTINATION AND 

over the state of things abroad. One asks the other 
how some particular events have gone. The other 
answers, that no news has as yet arrived, and 
adds, "As yet, all is uncertain.'''' Here he uses the 
word concerning events that have actually taken 
place. He calls them ''''uncertain^'''' because the 
truth regarding them has not yet reached the pub- 
lic mind. Were the word used in this sense, in the 
assertion that God can not know that which is un- 
certain, the statement would simply mean, that He 
could not know that which He did not know. But 
this is not the meaning of the word. It is not used 
in opposition to knowledge, but to fixedness.* Con- 
tingency, therefore, being the only other meaning 
of it, to this we must recur. The assertion is, that 
God can not know an event, or foreknow it, if it 
actually possesses the nature of a contingent or un- 
fixed occurrence. In this meaning alone, it has 
force in the argument before us ; and again we hold, 
that had not man presumed to limit and pare down 
the power of Jehovah's knowledge to the level of 
the standard of his own, he would never have asser- 
ted that God could not foreknow an event which is 
in its nature perfectly contingent. 

(4.) The assertion in question is founded in the 
most dishonoring ideas of God. I pass at present 
the notion that He predestinated sin. I leave also 
the idea, for the next lecture, that He can not create 
a free creature, whose actions shall be perfectly 

* " Necessity is that which is, and which can not possibly 
not be, or be otherwise than it is. Contingency, then, as the 
opposite idea, must be thai wliicli is, or may be, and which possi- 
bly might not be, or might be otherwise than it is^ — Tappan. 



THE FOREKNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 35 

contingent events. That upon Avhich it is needful 
to insist here, is the idea, that if an event were tru- 
ly contingent, God could not know that event be- 
fore it took place. This idea is admirably opposed 
by John Goodwin in his valuable work, ^'' Mede/np- 
tion Redeemed^ There he says, — " If it be replied, 
yea, but if God knows that such and such tilings 
will come to pass, is there not a necessity of their 
coming to pass; or otherwise, must not the knowl- 
edge of God prove abortive, and be accompanied 
with error? 

" I answer, no ; if the events supposed to be 
known by God before their coming to pass be con- 
tingent ; or, at least, such, in the production where- 
of, the wills of men must some way or other inter- 
pose, if ever they be produced (of which kind of 
events only we now speak), the certainty of the 
knowledge of God may be saved, and yet no abso- 
lute necessity of the coming to pass of such events 
be supposed. The reason is, because at the same 
time when God seeth or knoweth, that they will 
come to pass. He seeth and knoweth also, that there 
is no necessity they should come to pass, but that 
they may well be prevented, in which respect, in 
case they should not come to pass, the knowledge 
of God should suffer no defeature or disparagement. 

" If yet it be said, yea ; but, when it is supposed 
that God knoweth that such or such an event will 
come to pass ; if it should be supposed withal, that 
He knoweth it may not come to pass, or that it 
may come to pass otherwise than according to His 
knowledge, doth not this suppose or imply a con- 



36 PREDESTINATION AND 

sciousness in God of the weakness or deficiency of 
His knowledge ? 

" I answer no ; but rather the contrary ; viz., a 
consciousness in Him of the strength and perfection 
of His knowledge. For he that knoweth not that 
contingent and free-working causes, which way so- 
ever they shall act in order to any particular event, 
might yet act otherwise, or suspend their actings, 
is certainly defective in knowledge. And if God 
did not as well know that there is a possibility of 
the non-futurity, or of the not coming to pass of 
such contingent events, which He knoweth will 
come to pass. He should be defective in His knowl- 
edge concerning the nature and property of contin- 
gent and free-working causes, inasmuch as this is 
their nature and property ( as hath been said ), to 
be at liberty, in reference to particular actings, to 
act one way as well as another, or else to suspend 
their action. Indeed, if it should be said or thought, 
that any event icill not, or shall not, come to pass, 
which God knoweth beforehand will come to pass, 
this would import an obnoxiousness unto error in 
the knowledge or foreknowledge of God. But to 
say, or think, that such an event, whose future com- 
ing |l,o pass God knoweth may, notwithstanding this 
knowledge of His, not come to pass, reflects no dis- 
honor or disparagement at all upon His knowledge, 
but rather gives an honorable and high testimony 
of excellency and perfection unto it. For he that 
certainly knows what contingent and free-working 
causes will do, notwithstanding their freedom and 
liberty either to do, or not to do, or to do other- 
wise, must needs be excellent in knowledge indeed, 



THE FOREKNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 37 

and one who needeth not count it robbery to be 
equal with God." This is a true and striking expo- 
sition of the doctrine of the divine glory of fore- 
knowledofe. We are here enabled to form some 
true conception of the almighty power of Divine 
Omniscience, while we are relieved from the freez- 
ing and deadening notion, tliat everything is fixed, 
as by inexorable fate, and yet we have the full ad- 
vantage of the soul-cheering truth, that " all things 
are naked and open to the eyes of Him with whom 
we have to do." We are here also enabled to see 
the real shallowness of the pretended depth of those 
who advocate the glory of God through the doc- 
trine of universal predestination. We are also en- 
abled to see the true bearing of such ascriptions of 
praise as can be rendered to God, on the ground, 
and in the spirit of this doctrine. It is a praise 
that had much better be withheld, and for which 
we can not conceive of God as looking upon His 
creatures with less than profound est pity and disap- 
probation. The very foundation of the doctrine, 
so far as foreknowledge is concerned, is the as- 
sertion that God can not foreknow an event, unless 
He has first of all fixed it irrevocably, and takes 
'care that it shall come to pass. Who sees not that 
this assertion robs Jehovah of glory. It is founded 
on robbery of God. Under the pretense of exalt- 
ing Him beyond the stretch of the mind of men, it 
drags down His excellency to a level with that ot 
man, and even beneath it. We have in this asser- 
tion a remarkable instance of the real dishonor that 
is done to the name of God under the idea of doing 
Him honor. 

4 



38 PEEDESTINATION AND 

4. Let US now see the truth that requires to he 
admitted^ in order to the entire removal of this 
whole argument from forekjiowledge. One would 
suppose that some most fearful error must flow in, 
if universal predestination is denied. From the 
zeal with which that doctrine is defended, we might 
conclude that the whole fabric of truth must be 
overturned if it is even partially set aside. Now, 
all that needs to be admitted is, that God can cre- 
ate BEINGS WHOSE ACTIONS SHALL NOT BE FIXED 
EVENTS, AND YET THAT He CAN FOREKNOW WHAT 

THOSE ACTIONS SHALL BE. We havc thus before us 
the truth, and how can any reflecting man object 
to it ? Let me ask my hearer, if he will rather ad- 
mit that all sin has been foreordained by the decree 
of God, and that Omniscience can not know an 
event which is yet uncertain, than he will admit 
that God can create a creature whose actions shall 
be truly contingent events, and yet the whole of 
whose history shall be perfectly foreknown of God ? 
Weigh the alternatives, and you can not be in a 
difficulty as to which to choose. 

In closing this lecture, let me press with deep 
earnestness the fact of freedom on the mind and 
conscience of my hearer. Are you still without 
God as the object of your supreme delight ? Are 
you still afraid to think of meeting Him ? Could 
He now point to you and say, " there is at least one 
that loves me not ? '* O ! my fellow-sinner, He has 
created you free — He has not fixed one choice of 
your undying mind — He could not value your choice 
if He had, for forced love is an abomination alike 
to God and to man. You are free, and free to look 



THE FOEEKNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 39 

to Him as your Father and eternal Friend — free to 
meet Him on the ground that Jesus atoned for your 
sins — free to enjoy Him as your eternal portion. 
Dare you think of the fact that you have freely 
chosen the world, and rejected God ? Remember, 
those theories that seem to prove that your sin has 
been a fixed matter from eternity, will be swept 
away by the tide of the indignation of the God of 
truth at last. "The hail shall sweep away the ref- 
uges of lies." O ! then be entreated to choose now 
the free and full mercy of your God. Be entreated 
to rest on the fact that Jesus atoned for your deep 
and voluntary criminality. Be satisfied with that 
which honors and satisfies divine justice. Be recon- 
ciled to Jehovah, and you will bless Him through- 
out eternity that He created you free, and redeem- 
ed you from the curse you had chosen, that you 
might freely choose everlasting life. 



LECTUEE II. 

PREDESTINATION AND THE WISDOM OF GOD. 

Many suppose that the admission of the doctrine 
of the foreordination of whatsoever comes to pass, 
is essential to the honor of divine wisdom. An au- 
thor whom we have ah-eady quoted writes as fol- 
lows : — *' For an infinitely, wise, holy, and gracious 
Being to arrange everything according to His own 
wisdom, holiness, and grace, appears to us the very 
perfection of things." By " everything," this au- 
thor means every sin as well as everything else. It 
is thus supposed that in order to the " perfection of 
things," we must grant the foreordination of every- 
thing by Grod. Thus, the doctrine which we have 
seen so emphatically renounced by God Himself, is 
regarded as essential to the honor of His wisdom. 

In this leqture, I shall endeavor to show two 
things — first, that divine wisdom is vailed by the 
doctrine of universal predestination ; and second, 
that it is magnified by the doctrine of the real free- 
dom of man. Let it be strictly marked that the 
doctrine with which I contend includes the foreor- 
dination of sin. To this I would earnestly beg the 
special attention of the hearer. If sin is not fore- 
ordahied, the whole argument about foreordination 
is lost ; for if sin may take place without foreordi. 
nation, so may other events that depend for their 
occurrence on man's free will. 



THE WISDOM OF GOD. 41 

I. The wisdom of God is vailfd by the doc- 
trine OF universal predestination. 



There are several things necessarily deemed es- 
sential to a character for wisdom, of which the doc- 
trine in question deprives the character of God. In 
niei^tioning and illustrating some of these, it will be 
seen that even man would justly spurn as a dis- 
grace that which is ascribed to God as an honor. 

1. Divine loisdom will always act in a transpa- 
rent manner. The conduct of God must be such 
as to be easily seen through, so far as its rectitude 
and benevolence are concerned. Now, it is the uni- 
form confession of those who ascribe the predesti- 
nation of all things to God, that they can not vin- 
dicate His conduct. They hold decidedly that it 
is 7wt transparent conduct — yea, that the friends of 
God, enlightened by His Spirit, are not to expect 
to be able to vindicate it. An author of this class 
writes as follows : " Other theories undertake to 
explain and vindicate the divine administration, to 
the satisfaction of human reason — with what suc- 
cess, let the tendency from one expedient to another 
in the attempt to get rid of mystery show. This, 
alone, frankly owns the impossibility of making all 
plain ; and takes its appeal to the undoubted suprem- 
acy and almighty power of God as the only answer, 
in the last resort, to cavihng questions ; and all the 
service it pretends to render is, that it assigns to 
the inexplicable knot its right position." * Such is 
the confession — nay, such is the boasted excellency 
of the system to which the doctrine of the predes- 
^ Dr. Candlish on the Atonement 
4* 



42 PREDESTINATION AND 

lination of all things belongs. It speaks of the vin- 
dication of God's ways to man as " impossible^'''* 
and regards the conduct of Jehovah with man's 
will as an "inexplicable knot." What do we think 
of the man whose conduct is incapable of vindica- 
tion ? Do we think hira wise, or holy, or gracious ? 
Hear further confession on the same point. An- 
other author says— *'I believe that the invitations 
of the gospel are to all without exception. Yet, 
while I believe this, I believe in election too. 
' Many are called but few are chosen.' If I am 
asked. How can you reconcile these things ? I an- 
swer that I am not careful to reconcile them, I am 
satisfied that God has told me that both are true."* 
Here, then, is first a declaration of the impossibility 
of vindicating the ways of God to men, and then 
a cool confession of indifference on the point. 
These are the inevitable results of the doctrine in 
hand. ^^ Impossible^'*'* and *''' careless^'* are words 
that indicate the very states of mind, in regard to 
the vindication of God, which this doctrine must 
naturally produce. N'ow, it is of considerable mo- 
ment — ay, of infinite moment — to ask if God 
treats His own vindication in this style. Does He 
admit that it is impossible to vindicate His ways, or 
does He profess indifference as to this vindication ? 
Read His words and you will see. Isaiah v. 3-4 : 
" And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men 
of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my 
vineyard. What could have been done more to my 
vineyard that I have not done in it ? " Mark the 
position which God takes up in this passage. He 
* Truth and Error. 



THE WISDOM OF GOD. 43 

puts the sinner — tlie unbelieving siimer, too — in the 
seat of the Judge, and bids liim decide upon the 
treatment which he has received. Contrast this 
with the miserable confession that we have just no- 
ticed. In the one case the advocates of God con- 
fess, that it is wipossible to vindicate His ways to 
the satisfaction of human reason ; in the other, Je- 
hovah puts that very reason in the seat of judg- 
ment, and bids it decide upon His ways. Which 
of these modes of acting show the greatest wis- 
dom ? Whether is it evidence of ahnighty skill so 
to act, that even an enemy may be called upon to 
judge of what is done, or to act so that even a 
friend must confess that it is impossible to vindi- 
cate the course pursued ? The question is its own 
answer. Well, is not divine wisdom turned aside 
and driven to hide itself, because of the doctrine in 
question? O! my hearer, do not judge of your 
God by such a view as this. Let His own clear 
and unquestionable ways be judged. He Himself 
appeals to you, and prays you to give that judg- 
ment ; and nothing but the wretched system that 
declares the foreordination of sin, could dismiss 
His a[)peal by saying, — " It is impossible to vindi- 
cate His ways." 

2. Divine wisdom will always be able to clear 
itself from all share in bringing about the crimes 
of men. If God, from all eternity, ^'' fixed'''' every 
event that takes place, then He must have "y?£cec?" 
e\ery si7i that takes place. If He fixed that I 
should sin in each instance in which I have sinned, 
— if He determined, before I existed, that these 
sins should be committed, how is it possible to hold 



44 PREDESTINATION AND 

that He is entirely free from all share in the exist- 
ence of these sins? This is the very question 
which, it is acknowledged, it is impossible to an- 
swer. Now, does this indicate wisdom on the part 
of God, if it be true that sin is foreordained from 
eternity ? According to this doctrine He has made 
an arrangement, and part of that ariangement is, 
that men should commit sin, and furnish Him Avith 
an opportunity of displaying His indignation in 
punishing that sin ; but that arrangement is not of 
such a nature as to make it clear that He is not, 
after all, the originator, and the cause why sin is 
committed ! O ! it is deplorable to what extremes 
men will go when prepared to admit that it is im- 
possible to vindicate the ways of God to men. 
Still, it is most imjDortant to mark, that the doctrine 
in hand shuts out the wisdom of God from the 
view of those who adopt it. They hold Him to be 
wise — they assert that He is wise, but they do not, 
and can not see wisdom stamped upon all His pro- 
cedure. With them it is not clear, like a sunbeam . 
of heaven, gilding with glory the plan of Jehovah. 
No, all is dark — inexplicable — incapable of vindica- 
tion — incapable of clear and Godlike separation 
from the abominable deeds of the sinner. How 
different the ways and the vindication of God Him- 
self! He shows, on every occasion, that sin is 
strange to all His desires, purposes, and designs — 
that it is the accursed intrusion of the guilty upon 
the holy arrangements of His great universe — that 
it is abhorred in His deepest heart, to be expunged 
from all that He holds dear, and swept at last into 
the place of outer darkness. 



THE WISDOM OF GOD. 45 

3. JeJiovali's wisdom does not need sin that He 
may thereby glorify Himself. The whole doctrine 
of universal predestination proceeds on the idea, 
that sin was needed in order to the fullness of di- 
vine glory. This will be seen very clearly in the 
following words : — " I grant, indeed, that all the 
children of Adam fell, by the will of God, into that 
state of misery wherein they are now bound. God 
did not only foresee, but He did dispose the fall of 
man, and in him the ruin of all his posterity. The 
first man fell, because God so judged it to be expe- 
dient ; why He so judged it is unknown to us, yet 
it is certain that He so judged it for no other rea- 
son but because He saw that thereby the glory of 
His name should be worthily set forth." * The doc- 
trine of these words is, that God needed sin in or- 
der to the full glory of His name. This is further 
clear in the answer given by another author to the 
question — " Did God make men to damn them ? " 
The answer is not as it ought to be, a stern denial 
of the infamous imputation, but as follows : — " God 
made man — every man and every thing — to glorify 
Him. This every creature, man or angel, must do 
either actively or passively, either willingly or un- 
willingly — actively and willingly in heaven, or pass- 
ively and unwillingly in hell." f These are the 
words of a man who believes that God can only 
foreknow that which He has fixed from all eternity. 
The doctrine is clearly this, that God made arrange- 
ment for sin and hell, that by means of these He 
might more honor Himself by mercy and justice in 
redemption and condemnation. Now, we may w^ell 
* Calvin's Institutes. f Truth and Error. 



46 PREDESTINATION AND 

ask tlie question — is this honoring to the divine 
wisdom ? Would it be honoring to a father if he felt 
it needful to arrange so as that his children should 
be abominable profligates, and many of them per- 
ish, in order that he might be honored in pardoning 
and punishing ? We hesitate not to affirm, that 
the arrangements of such a father would be felt to 
be infamous, rather than glorifying ; from the very 
foundation they would be felt to be so. The ar- 
rangement and ordination of the sin would infinite- 
ly counterbalance the mercy, and deprive the justice 
of all but the name — ay, even of the name itself 
The very case in hand is a striking proof of this. 
When we ask as to the justice and mercy of God 
in dealing with sin which He fixed to take place, 
and that in the counsels of eternity, we are told 
that it is impossible to vindicate His ways to human 
reason. Now, is that glorious which it is inipossi- 
ble to vindicate ? Is that what men understand as 
glorious^ which even the friends of the doctrine 
confess they can not reconcile with justice and 
mercy, and regarding which the best they can say 
is, that it is so, and, therefore, must be just f We 
have different conceptions of glory ; so has every 
man ; and the idea that God's infinite wisdom need- 
ed sin to promote His glory is truly miserable. It 
is well exposed in the following words: — "For 
doubtless God is not so poorly or meanly provided, 
in and of Himself, for the exaltation of His name 
and glory, as to stand in need of the dunghill of sin 
to make a footstool for Him whereby to ascend into 
His throne." * The system that represents His 
* Goodwin, p, 80. 



' THE WISDOM OV GOD. 47 

glory as in any way depending on sin is mournful. 
It is clear, then, that the doctrine of predestination 
vails the wisdom of God, inasmuch as it represents 
that wisdom as faihng to vindicate its own ways — 
as failing to show its entire freedom from all fellow- 
ship with the sinner in the production of sin, and as 
requiring the wretched abominations of the sinner 
in order to promote its own glory. Divine wisdom, 
indeed, is, by this doctrine, converted into the most 
fearful species of cunning— that cunning that re- 
quires and uses the crimes of others to effect its 
own aggrandisement. If it is supposed by my 
hearer that this is too strong language, let him read 
the following words of the great Apostle of predes- 
tination : — " Though none receive the light of faith, 
nor do truly feel the effective working of the gos- 
pel, but they that are foreordained to salvation, yet 
experience showeth that the reprobate are some- 
times moved with the same feeling that the elect 
are, so that, in their own judgment, they differ noth- 
ing from the elect. Wherefoie it is no absurdity, 
that the apostle ascribeth to them the taste of the 
heavenly girts, that Christ ascribeth to them a faith 
for a time; not that they soundly perceive the 
essential force of grace and assured light of faith ; 
but because the Lord, the more to condemn them 
and make them inexcusable, conveyeth Himself into 
their mind, so far forth as His goodness may be 
tasted without the spirit of adoption." * Reflect, 
my liearer, upon that passage, and ask your own 
soul if you would not shrink with horror from the 
coarse of conduct that is thus ascribed to God ; and 
* Calvin's Institutes. 



48 PREDESTINATION AND 

yet this is supposed to indicate tlie perfection of 
■wisdom. Perish forever the doctrine that ascribes 
such wisdom to God. O! let us turn to the oppo- 
site view, and see how the truth glorifies Jehovah. 

II. The wisdom of God is magnified by the 

DOCTRINE OF MAN'S TRUE FREEDOM OF WILL. 

We have been contemplating a doctrine that re- 
quires the acknowledgment that it is impossible to 
vindicate the ways of God to the satisfaction of hu- 
man reason ; and the two parts of which, its most 
devoted votaries are despairingly careless to recon- 
cile. Let us see if the doctrine of man's perfect 
freedom of will requires any such acknowledgment 
and carelessness. 

1. Divine wisdom is glorified in the creation of 
a creature truly free. What an amount of divine 
majesty is expressed in these few and simple words 
of God : " Let us make man in our own image, 
after our own likeness, and let them have domin- 
ion." There are two ideas most manifestly essential 
to the right understanding of these words, — first, 
how could man have the image of God if all his 
actions were fixed by an irreversible decree before 
he was made ? and second, how can man be said to 
have dominion if he was only the machine carrying 
out the hievitable decrees of another ? Is the moral 
image of Q^oA possible in that mind, every volition 
of which is determined by a previous necessity ? 
Why, instead, in such a case, of bearing the image 
of God, man would bear no moral image at all. 
Not one of his determination's would originate with 



THE WISDOM OF GOD. 49 

himself, — they would merely be the effects of the 
determinations of another. This would destroy 
the very idea of morality in his case ; and the idea 
of dominion in such a situation as this would be a 
simple mockery. Man can bring into existence a 
machine to act as he determines it ; but Jehovah 
can create a free spirit to determine its own choice 
— to sit in the throne of dominion ; and surely in 
this there is a display of the most incomprehensible 
wisdom. The creation of a spirit— intelligent, im- 
mortal, and free, bearing the stamp of Divinity itself, 
and fitted to occupy a throne, — this is a work 
.worthy of Him whose wisdom is unsearchable. 
The more glorious the work as a work of God, the 
greater, surely, is the glory that is due to Him 
whose work it is. What a contrast between the 
wisdom that pre-determines sin itself, in order to 
have an opportunity of pardoning one and con- 
demning another, and that of the Creator calling 
into existence an undying spirit, so gloriously con- 
stituted and free ! Surely, if we can form any con- 
ception of the very essence of holiness itself, and 
see that holy conduct must be free^ spontaneous^ 
and voluntary^ we see the perfection of skill and 
wisdom in Him who makes a spirit capable of that 
holiness. Such is the honor accruing to the wis- 
dom of God from the truth of man's real freedom 
of will. 

2. Divine wisdom is glorified in the government 
of a free creature. What glory is there in the 
government of a slave ? or of what is less than 
even a slave, in point of freedom, a " machine ? " 
We can form no conception of wisdom which equals 
5 



50 PREDESTINATION AND 

that displayed in the government of a creature 
whose obedience is love ; hence the very highest 
degree of that wisdom is seen in the government 
of a perfectly free will. The more perfectly and 
absolutely free the will is, originating purely of it- 
self the acts of the mind, the more glorious is that 
wisdom by which all these acts are regulated, and 
led along the path of honor and of holiness. The 
idea that " the history of this world, in all things, 
great and small, is just the history of events pre- 
ordained of God from eternity " — every thing Jixecl, 
determined^ and irrevocable, because of Almighty 
power to carry out these determinations — where is 
wisdom required to govern the procedure which 
is all so determined ? On the other hand, admit 
the perfect freedom of man's will, — that every one 
of his voluntary actions originates with himself, and 
then conceive of the wisdom displayed in control- 
ling even the unholy wrath which is contrary to 
every desire and design of God — the fruit of man's 
free and wicked choice — so that it shall accomplish' 
the purposes of his goodness and mercy, and we 
have before us that by which some conception of 
unsearchable wisdom may be formed. Sin is thus 
seen as a strange and unnatural intrusion upon the 
wisely created, and wisely governed universe pf 
God — a creation of the Avill which He has formed 
in freedom — an abomination contrary to every de- 
sire and design of His infinite mind of purity and 
love ; and yet, though strange and foreign to His 
every desire and design, not beyond the provisions 
of a government so wisely framed as to meet every 
possible or conceivable exigency. This is the true 



THE "WISDOM OF GOD. 51 

character of the government of God, The idea of 
His ordainmg sin that He might overrule it, is 
wretched. It is Uke a king being represented as 
creating an enemy that he miglit conquer him, and 
takino; arood care that he should not be such an en- 
emy as would either be able to cope with his pow- 
er, or overreach his skill ! In an earthly king the 
idea would be beneath contempt — how infinitely 
more so in the great Jehovah. 

But in carrying out this truth of God's wisdom 
being glorified in the freedom of the will of man, 
we must not overlook the fact, that it is the free- 
dom of will that emphatically gives God the title- 
of " KiXG of kings.'''' If every action is fixed^ and 
that from eternity, how can these be the actions of 
"kings?" Where is the honor of being king of 
such kings ? But if no action is fixed, if the spirit 
is created and maintained in perfect freedom— free 
to originate its own volitions — then is the King of 
immortals the King of kings indeed ; and when He 
so rules as to secure their obedience, it is the obe- 
dience of kings that He receives. This is the wis- 
dom of God. 

3. TJie loisdom of God is illustrated in His 
EEDEiiPTiox of free creatures. The idea of an irre- 
sistible influence Or power, exercised by God over 
the mind of man, is ever associated with that of uni- 
versal predestination. By these the whole glory 
of the wisdom of God, in His plan for the recovery 
of lost souls, is hid in inexplicable mystery. He is 
made to appear constructing a vast and incalculably 
costly system of motive, and at the same time we 
are told that " motive " is nothing — that it is a se- 



62 PREDESTINATION AND 

cret, irresistible power, by which alone the will is 
turned, and that every act calling for a ransom, as 
well as every act of the soul that is ransomed, was 
fixed from all eternity. There is an entire absence 
of all consistency between the doctrine that ajifwas 
irrevocably fixed, and the doctrine that God requir- 
ed to make the infinitely costly sacrifice of His 
dearest object, in order that men might be saved 
from that sin which He Himself bad foreordained ! 
This inconsistency at once disappears when you ad- 
mit that sin is the intrusion — the wicked and un- 
provoked intrusion — of a free and rebelling creature 
on the plans and creations of a holy God. And 
when we see that God so loved man that He w^ould 
neither destroy him nor annihilate his freedom, but 
that, to save both. He provided the incomprehensi- 
bly costly sacrifice of the cross, then we have the 
field of redemption opened to us for the adoration 
of Divine Wisdom. Sin is the enemy of God and 
the curse of man — a stranger in the universe, yet 
not such but that all its dreadful power is met in 
the work of Jesus. In that work, the language of 
God is most strikingly verified — " I drew thee with 
the bands of a man — with the cords of love ; " and 
the same is true of the whole work of the Holy 
Spirit, as that work is described in the Bible. The 
creature, even in the utmost state of depravity, is 
ever brought before the mind as perfectly free, and 
yet as drawn by mighty motives to the heart of 
God from the deepest depths of misery and guilt. 
O ! my hearer, it is well worth your most careful 
effort to study the unsearchable wisdom of God in 
meeting the enormous difliculty introduced by sin ; 



THE WISDOM OF GOD. 53 

and when you have exjiended somewhat of ade- 
quate attention on the subject, you will be con- 
strained to wonder at the depths of God's wisdom 
in a very different way from that in which those do 
who look at inexplicable inconsistencies, and because 
they can neither vindicate nor reconcile them, are 
led to exclaim, *' Oh, the deptlis ! " 

That is not necessarily deep of which we can not 
see the bottom. It may be only muddy^ and it 
will not cost great effort to see that all the depth 
that exists in the doctrine of universal predestina- 
tion is simply in the impossibility of seeing any 
clear truth in it. The idea has been too long taken 
for granted by men, that that must needs be un- 
fathomable which defies the efforts of the mind to 
understand it. They have long been accustomed 
to come from hearing a sermon which they could 
not see through, with the exclamation upon their 
lips, " That was a dee}) sermon ! " The time is more 
than come, we trust, when such ideas of depth shall 
cease to find a place in the minds of men. When 
sailing upon the calm, clear, transparent bosom of 
the mighty ocean, v/hat is it that impresses you 
with the idea of its depth ? Is it not the fact that 
your eye penetrates, without diflaculty, many fath- 
oms down, while you see that there are fathoms 
still beyond the depth to which the eye has reached ? 
It is the very clearness that gives the true concep- 
tion of the depth. So is it with the wisdom of God 
in reality. There is no need of crying, " Oh, the 
depth ! " in regard to that wisdom, simply because 
it is impossible to reconcile its acts and purposes. 
The depth is seen in the clearness with which they 
5* 



54 PREDESTINATION AND 

can be reconciled, and yet in the greatness of their 
mighty comprehension, as they compass eternity it- 
self and open the bosom of a righteous God to the 
etei'nal confidence of guilty men. 

In concluding this lecture, let me press again up- 
on the mind of my hearer the high privilege, and 
most sacred duty, that arise to us out of the reality 
of our freedom. Is it not a privilege to serve Him 
who loved us, and gave Himself for us, with spon- 
taneous service ? Is it not a privilege, knowing 
that we are as free as God Himself can make us, 
freely, and conscious of our' liberty, to adore the 
wisdom of our Father, and to yield ourselves fully, 
constantly, and for ever, to the directions of that 
matchless wisdom ? Is it not a high privilege to 
enjoy, and most freely to exercise that confidence 
which this matchless wisdom is fitted to inspire ? 
But as is our privilege so is our duty. Oh, my fel- 
low-immortal ! let us realize our responsibility in 
being created and placed in the position oi free 
creatures. No one can realize this without also re- 
ahzing the necessit}^ — the blessed necessity — that is 
laid upon us to yield ourselves fully to our God, or 
to incur thg most incalculable amount of guilt and 
condemnation. What shall we answer at last when 
our freedom^ and our responsibility and obligations^ 
are brought fully before us, if we have disregarded 
them all? How shall we be able to look at that 
sacrifice which God has made to ransom us, and at 
that work of the Holy Spirit by which He has 
sought to win us to a frce^ spontaneous choice of 
His love, if we have " always resisted " His infinitely 
wise and most gracious work ? Oh, now is tho 



THE WISDOM OF GOD. 55 

time to realize our danger ! and also to realize our 
duty, and with all the power of will with which He 
has endowed us, to be for ever devoted to Him ! 
Let us adore Him who has made us kings. Let 
Him have that consecration, and that allegiance, 
of w4iich only the King of kings is worthy. Oh, 
let Hira have the everlasting song of our ransomed 
souls in acknowledgment of His wisdom in our cre- 
ation, in our government, and, above all, in our ran- 
som and deliverance ! 



LECTUKE III. 

PEEDESTINATION AND THE JUSTICE OF GOD. 

There is nothing of greater importance to man 
than just views of the moral character of his God. 
If he has false conceptions of this, his own moral 
character, and all that depends on it, will bear the 
taint of the falsehood. Not only so, but the closer 
in such a case that his mind is brought into fellow- 
ship with his God, the more will this error become 
an attribute of his own moral nature.* In this lec- 
ture, therefore, I shall aim to present to the mind 
right views of the justice of Jehovah, as well as 
to remove the false views that are given of it by 
the doctrine of universal predestination. 

I. Let us consider some of the leading fea- 
tures OF the justice of God as revealed in 
the Bible. 

Under this head, I shall endeavor to state clearly 
both the general principles of divine justice, and 
those more particularly bearing upon the subject in 
hand. 

1. The attribute of Justice in God is that dis- 
rosiTiON of His moral oiature lohich wfalUbly 
leads Him to do that which is right. Tliis is 
universally acknowledged to be Justice. lie who 

* See the Philosophy of tho Plan of Salvation, chap. L 



THE JUSTICE OF GOD. 57 

is disposed with all his heart to do that which is 
right, is a just being. The question by which His 
justice is most emphatically declared is this — " Shall 
not the Judge of all the earth do right? " Every 
sane and reflecting mind is compelled to answer 
this question in tlie affirmative. There is diffei on^'.e 
of o^^inion as to what is eight, but there can be 
none as to the certainty of the justice of God. 

2. Tkis attribute of Justice in God supposes the 
existence of k principle of right. It stands upon 
the granted truth, that certain actions, or courses 
of action, are right. This is a most important 
truth connected Avith the doctrine of the justice of 
God. The question, " Shall not the Judge of all 
the earth do right? " not only supposes that there 
is right as distinguished from wrong, but also that 
right and wrong are not such hidden principles as 
to be secrets to men. The greatest possible doom 
is pronounced against those who confound these all- 
important principles: — "Woe to them that call evil 
good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, 
and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweetj 
and sweet for bitter." (Is. v. 20.) It must be re- 
garded, then, as a Bible and fixed truth, that there 
is a principle of right which men are bound to un- 
derstand and pursue. 

3. This principle of right is one and the satme 
in all possible actions^ or courses of action. This 
is a most inestimable truth, and one which seems to 
be forgotten, if not denied, by those who defend 
the doctrine of universal predestination. It is, 
however, invincible reality. Just as the principle 
of truth is the same in God that it is in man, so is 



58 PREDESTINATION AND 

the principle of right the same in bo4h. That 
which is false in man can not be true in God ; and 
that which is in itself wrong in man can not be right 
in God. Mark, I do not hold that every particular 
action that would be wrong in man, must, there- 
fore, be wrong in God. This would be absurd ; but 
that every action, or course of action, the principle 
of Avhich is wrong, must be equally wrong to all. 
If Vae2^rmci2jle of the action be wrong in man it 
must also be wrong in God. 

In order to verify this, we have only to remem- 
ber that we have the following command — " Be ye 
therefore followers of God as dear children." ( Eph. 
V. 1.) Now, if this command mean any thing, it 
must at least mean this, that the principles which we 
see to be those of the conduct of God must be those 
of our conduct. We are not called upon to follow 
Him in the exercise of omnipotence, but, with the 
power we have, to follow Him so far as we can, pro- 
ceeding exactly in our sphere as He does in His. 
This all-important truth is still farther verified by 
the fact, that God reasons with man as to the jus- 
tice of His own dealings. We shall turn attention 
to this more fully afterward. At present it is only 
necessary to remind the hearer of the fact, that 
God, in the fifth chapter of Isaiah, commands the 
men of Judah to Judge between Himself and them. 
This f ict, which runs through the whole Bible, is 
fatal — infallibly fatal — to that mode of defense 
wliich is used for the doctrine of eternal reproba- 
tion. As a specimen of this, I quote the following ; 
— " How exceedingly presumptuous it is only to in- 
quire into the causes of the divine will; which is, 



THE JUSTICE OF GOD. 59 

in fact, and is justly entitle'd to be, the catise of 
every thing that exists." * Compare this charge 
of presnmption with the command of God to the 
men of Jndah. "Judge ye," says Jehovah. "It 
is presumptuous even to inquire," says human au- 
thority. Let us rejoice that the haughty air of the 
tyrant, whose course of action must not be canvass- 
ed, is infinitely removed from the dignity of our 
God. He makes His ways plain in every case where 
the full and intelligent satisfaction of the conscience 
of man is concerned — so plain, that even His ene- 
mies may be judges of their own cause. This is 
indubitable evidence that right is one and the same 
in God and in man — that if the principle of an ac- 
tion be wrong for man, it is wrong, and, therefore, 
impossible with God. 

4. It follows dearly from what has now been 
stated^ that God can not condemn in man that prin- 
ciple of conduct lohich He pursues Himself. This 
is declared to be criminal in the highest degree in 
the creature. Paul says, in his epistle to the Ro- 
mans, "And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest 
them that do such things, and doest the same, that 
thou shalt escape the righteous judgment of God ? " 
( Ch. ii. 3.) This is a most emphatic declaration, 
that the principle of condemning in others that 
which we practice ourselves, is criminal, and cer- 
tain to be punished. This is a most self-evident, 
but most important principle of justice. It leads 
us to the conclusion, that that which God condemns 
in man He never will do Himself. If this principle 
is denied, then there is an end to all confidence in 
* Calvin's Institutes, book iii ch. xxii. sec. 2, 



60 PREDESTINATION AND 

the character of God. 'If He may do Himself that 
which in the very spirit and essence of it He con- 
demns and punishes in man, there is, and there 

must be, an end to confidence in the justice of God. 
Til ere is an end to all understanding of right and 
wrong as eternal and immutable principles of ac- 
tion. Such a consequence wrapt up in any doctrine 
is sufficient for its destruction. 

n. Let us now consider the application of 

THESE PRINCIPLES TO UNIVERSAL PREDESTINATION. 

We shall endeavor to take that doctrine in the 
words of its own highest advocates, and as it bears 
upon the truth of the justice of God. 

1. God condemns the principle of doing evil 
that good may come. The mind of Paul most em- 
phatically, and with abhorrence, renounces this prin- 
ciple. His M'ords to the Romans are these — "And 
not rather (as-we be slanderously reported, and as 
some affirm that we say ) let us do evil that good 
may come, whose damnation is just." Mark care- 
fully, my hearer, the strength of the condemnation 
which the inspired apostle declared against the 
principle of doing evil that good may come. Now, 
this is \\\Q fundamental principle of the whole doc- 
trine of reprobation, without which the doctrine 
of universal predestination perishes. It is impossi- 
ble to deny that this is the foundation of the doc- 
trine, if you read it in the words of those who hold 
it. Let us see it as thus stated by those who should 
be able to state it aright. I quote again from the 
book that claims attention as the confession of 



THE JUSTICE OF GOD. 61 

thousands on thousands of the professing Christians 
of Scotland : — " By the decree of God, for the 
MANIFESTATION OF His GLORY, some men and an- 
gels are predestinated unto everlasting life, and 
others foreordained to everlasting death. These 
angels and men, thus predestinated and foreordain- 
ed, are particularly and unchangeably designed, and 
their number is so certain and definite, that it can 
not be either increased or diminished." * The fun- 
damental principle of this passage is, that in order 
to promote the good of His own glory, God de- 
creed unchangeably the eternal destruction of men. 
I quote, however, still further the statements of 
this doctrine, to show that this decree of condemn- 
ation was not passed because of sin being foreseen 
in those to be condemned : — " Although God knows 
whatsoever may or can come to pass upon all sup- 
posed conditions, yet hath He not decreed anything 
because He foresaw it future, or as that which 
would come to j)ass upon such conditions." * Such 
is the solemn declaration regarding God made by 
the vast majority of professing Christians in this 
land. But we must quote further. Lest it should 
be supposed that God, from eternity, decreed thus 
the damnation of some men for His glory, but left 
them to secure it, or cause it of their own free will, 
the following statement is made in regard to the 
reprobate : — " Those, therefore, whom He has cre- 
ated to a life of shame and a death of destruction, 
that they might be insti-uments of His wrath, and 
examples of His severity, He causes to reach their 
appointed end, sometimes depriving them of an op- 

* (Jonfession of Faith, chap. iii. 
6 



62 PREDESTINATION AND 

portunity of hearing the Word, sometimes by the 
preaching of it increases their blindness and stupid- 
ity." Again, — "The supreme Lord, therefore, by 
depriving of the communication of His light, and 
leaving in darkness, those whom He hath reproba- 
ted, makes way for the accomplishment of His pre- 
destination." And again, — " I know that it appears 
harsh to some when faith is attributed to the repro- 
bate ; since Paul affirms it to be the fruit of elec- 
tion. But this difficulty is easily solved : for though 
none are illuminated to faith, or truly feel the effi- 
cacy of the gospel, but such as are foreordained to 
salvation, yet experience shows that the reprobate 
are sometimes affected with emotions very similar 
to those of the elect, so that, in their opinion, they 
in no respect differ from the elect. Wherefore it 
is not at all absurd that a taste of heavenly gifts is 
abscribed to them by the apostle, and a temporary 
faith in Christ ; not that they truly perceive the en- 
ergy of spiritual grace and clear light of faith, but 
because the Lord, to render their guilt more mani- 
fest and inexcusable, insinuates Himself into their 
minds as far as His goodness can be enjoyed with- 
out the spirit of adoption." The whole of these 
statements proceed upon the idea that God has not 
only determined the destiny of the reprobate, but 
that He takes care so to arrange every thing con- 
cerning them, as that His decree of their destruc- 
tion shall not be counteracted. Lest it should be 
supposed that God only 2yer}7iits men to fulfill His 
secret decree, and that their sin, though permitted, 
is contrary to their real will, it is said further,— "It 
is not probable, however, that man procured his 



THE JUSTICE OF GOD. 63 

own destruction by the mere permission, and with- 
out any appointment of God. As though God had 
not determined what He would choose to be the 
condition of the principal of His creatures. I shall 
not hesitate, therefore, to confess with Augustine, 
' that the will of God is the necessity of things, and 
what He has willed will necessarily come to pass.' " '^ 
If it is possible to express the idea that God has de- 
creed, and that He does actually accomplish the blind- 
ing and ruin of the reprobate that His own glory ( ! ) 
may be promoted, it is taught by these statements 
of the great apostle of predestination, and by the 
Scottish confession itself. We can not see the possi- 
sibility of holding the doctrine on any other ground 
that will give even a shadow of plausibihty to it. 
It is plausible to hold to the great importance of 
the honor of God — and the pretense that the as- 
cription of reprobation to Him honors Him, makes 
this horrid libel on His character pass with many ; 
but it is impossible to make it out less than His de- 
creeing evil that good may come, and the idea that 
God will do that, which even Paul renounces wdth 
abhorrence, should surely be sufficient to stamp 
with eternal infamy the doctrine that is founded 
upon such an idea. Oh, my hearer ! think not that 
you have such a God as this represents Him to be. 
No! — "A God of truth and without iniquity — just 
and right is He." Hence, the doctrine of His fore- 
ordaining whatsoever comes to pass must be rejected, 
as a most fearful error. 

2. Tlie doctrine of universal predestination in- 
volves the idea that God condemns and eternally 
" Calvin's Inst., book iil chap. xxiv. 



64 PREDESTINATION AND 

punishes that which He Himself decreed and de- 
termines to he. It is impossible to conceive of in- 
justice if this be not the most fearful principle that 
can bear that name. This doctrine not only holds 
that man is condemned for that which he could not 
possibly avoid, as he could not possibly defeat the 
determination of Omnipotence, but that man is con- 
demned for doing that very thing which God willed 
to be done. The difficulty with some of my hear- 
ers will be to believe that any human being can 
hold such a doctrine. In addition, therefore, to that 
which I have already quoted, stating and illustra- 
ting that God has "foreordained whatsoever comes 
to pass," I quote furthei*. The argument is stated^ 
and, according to predestination, answered^ in the 
following passage : — " ' Why should God impute to 
the fault of man those things which were rendered 
necessary by His predestination ? What should 
they do ? Should they resist His decrees ? This 
would be vain, for it would be impossible. There- 
fore, they are not punished for those things of which 
God's predestination is the principal cause.' Here 
I shall refrain from the defense commonly resorted 
to by ecclesiastical writers, that the foreknowedge 
of God prevents not man from being considered as 
a sinner, since God foresees man's evils, not His 
own. For then the cavil would not stop here ; it 
would i-ather be urged, that still God might, if He 
would, have provided against the evil He foresaw, 
and not having done this. He created man expressly 
to this end, that he might so conduct himself in the 
w^orld : ' but if, by the Divine providence, man was 
created in such a state as afterward to do what- 



THE JUSTICE OF GOD. 65 

ever he actually does, he ought not to be charged 
with guilt for things which he can not avoid, and to 
which the will of God constrains him.' Let us see 
how this difficulty should be solved. In the first 
place, the declaration of Solomon ought to be uni- 
versally admitted, that ' the Lord hath made all 
things for Himself; yea, even the wicked for the 
day of evil.' Observe, all things being at God's 
disposal, and the decision of salvation or death be- 
longing to Him, He orders all things by His coun- 
sel and decrees in such a manner, that some men 
are born devoted from the womb to certain death, 
that His name may be glorified in their destruction. 
If any one pleads that no necessity was imposed on 
them by the providence of God, but rather that 
they were created by Him in such a state, in conse- 
quence of His foresight of their future depravity, 
it will amount to nothing. The old writers used, 
indeed, to adopt this solution, though not without 
some degree of hesitation ; but the schoolmen sat- 
isfy themselves with it, as though it admitted of no 
opposition. I will readily grant, indeed, that mere 
foreknowledge lays no necessity on the creatures, 
though this is not universally admitted ; for there 
are some who maintain it to be the actual cause of 
what comes to pass. But Valla, a man otherwise 
not much versed in theology, appears to me to have 
discovered superior acuteness and judiciousness, by 
showing that this controversy is unnecessary, be- 
cause both life and death are acts of God's will, 
rather than of His foreknowledge. If God simply 
foresaw the fates of men, and did not also dispose 
and fix them by His determination, there would be 

6* 



66 PREDESTINATION AND 

room to agitate the question, whether His provi- 
dence or foresight rendered them at all necessary ; 
but since He foresees future events only in conse- 
quence of His decree that they shall happen, it is 
useless to contend about foreknowledge, while it is 
evident that all things come to pass rather by ordi- 
nation and decree." * 

It is impossible to soften the meaning of this pas- 
sage so as to make it even seem to mean less than 
it says. It is itself rather an argument against all 
attempt to soften*the doctrines of its author ; — it is 
condemnation to those who would apologize for the 
strength and fearful harshness of his views. He 
seeks to render it out of the question to inquire 
whether God's providence and foresight rendered 
all events necessary. It is to be received as a doc- 
trine not at all admitting of question, that all is in- 
evitahly fixed. Calvin had too much love for the 
doctrine of predestination to be afraid of speaking 
out upon it in most unambiguous terms. But ob- 
serve the defense he makes for the doctrine. Look 
for the arguments that are to rise and confute the 
"profane complaint" which, he says, is made 
against his theory. He does excite the expectation 
0^ proof in the commencement of the section be- 
fore us. He has asserted that God not only decreed, 
but also brought to pass all the events ( including 
the sins of men ) that take place in the universe ; 
and this is doubted, — a powerful and most obvious 
objection is started, and he seems to prepare him- 
self for the full removal of the objection. How 
does he proceed ? Does he attempt to show the 
* Calvin's Institutes. 



THE JUSTICE OF GOD. 6V 

evidence in the case ? No. It will be seen that 
the defense of the doctrine which I now seek to op- 
pose, as contained in the passage above quoted, is 
simply a redoubled assertion of its verity. There 
is no other defense attempted by him who is sup- 
posed to be the very greatest of the advocates of 
the doctrine. Calvin and Augustine unite to say, 
regarding the demanded defense of their doc- 
trine — ^^ faithful ignorance is better than presmnp- 
tuous knowledge I ''"' and that is the sum of their an- 
swer to the objection which is now stated. Let us 
see if this answer betters the case. It is said that 
God not only decreed, but actually secures the car- 
rying out of His decrees in the sin and condemna- 
tion of men. We say — to hold such a doctrine is 
to ascribe injustice to God. Our objection is a fa- 
tal one to the doctrine. What does their answer 
to that objection prove ? Simply that they have no 
real reply with which to meet the objection. It 
comes up before them in the light of a clear state- 
ment, and all that they do is, to escape into the 
darkness of pretended mystery. This is the most 
"feeble of all possible defenses, and sadly unworthy 
of the great minds that used it. Is there any depth 
of mystery in ascribing to God the condemnation 
and punishment of that which He Himself decrees 
and brings about? If there be a depth, it is that 
of the most unaccountable folly and sin. O ! my 
hearer, are you prepared to hold by the doctrine 
before us ? Are you prepared to beUeve that your 
just God will pursue such a course as that now rejD- 
resented? He so loved justice, and the manifesta- 
tion of it too, that He would not propose the par- 



68 PREDESTINATION AND 

don of injustice on a lower ground than the sacri- 
fice of Calvary. Are you capable of believing that 
He will perpetrate that which He has condemned 
in the death and agonies of His beloved Son ? Are 
you not rather glad to escape from the miserable 
delusions of men called gresit, to the plain declara- 
tions of the Word of God. *' As I live, saith Jhe 
Lord God, I have no j^leasure in the death of the 
wicked." No : their death, instead of being the 
result of His decree, is contrary to every feeling of 
His heart, and every principle of His nature. It is 
the creation of their own free determination to 
continue in sin. Perish, then, forever, that most 
odious of falsehoods, that " God foreordained what- 
soever comes to pass." 

3. The doctrine with which we have now to do^ 
involves the idea that God is a " resjjecter of per- 
S071S.'*'' It is evident that those who plead for the 
doctrine totally fail to repel this objection, as 
they more than fail to repel those that I have al- 
ready stated. The idea is, that in the multitude of 
angels and men seen by the Divine Omniscience 
from all eternity, God made this distinction — that 
He decreed the one part to holiness and happiness, 
the other to sin and death ; and we are not to seek 
the cause of this decree in any foreseen difference 
in the creatures, but to find it in the will of the 
Creator. Now, what is " respect of persons ? " Is 
it the preference of a Jew to a Gentile ? Manifest- 
ly not. A Jew might be preferred to a Gentile ( n 
a sound principle of right and benevolence. Is \ 
the preference of a rich man to a poor man ? No ; 
for this preference may be entertained and no sound 



THE JUSTICE OF GOD. 69 

principle infringed. Is it, then, the preference of a 
master to a servant ? No ; for a ma'Ster may be 
preferred, in certain cases, to a servant, on sound 
enough principles. What, then, is respect of per- 
sons ? It may be answered : '' It is preferring a 
Jew merely because he is a Jew, — a rich man mere- 
ly because he is rich, — and a master merely because 
he is a master." But the question still returns: 
How is this wrong ? I answer — because the rea- 
son of preference is not sufficient to justify it. This 
is the root of the error. A preference of one man 
to another must have a reason^ and a sufficient rea- 
son, on which to stand. If the reasons for a pref- 
erence are not sufficient, then the preference of one 
man to another is respect of persons ; if so, what 
are we to make of the doctrine that God prefers 
one man to another for no reason at all^ — that He 
so far prefers the one to the other, that He decrees 
the one to hell and the other to heaven, while His 
decree is not to be supposed to rest upon the differ- 
ence between the one man and the other ? This is 
the crime of respect of persons ascribed to God in 
an infinite degree. The man that is not made to 
feel his soul aroused within him against such an in- 
famous calumny of Jehovah, has surely little regard 
for his God. Mark, then, the miserable nature of 
this attempt that is made to alter the force of the 
glorious Scripture declaration, that God is no re- 
specter of persons. It is an attempt to substitute 
the shadow for the substance, or 2, few of the prac- 
tical bearings of a principle for the principle itself. 
Search into the truth on this part of our subject, 
and you will find that the deeper the search the 



70 PREDESTINATION AND 

more clear will be your conviction, that the sin of 
being a respecter of persons is the sin of preferring 
one man to another, without any reason of a suffi- 
cient character in the object of your preference. 
This is respecting the person^ regardless of the rea- 
sons of the case. The very words of the Book of 
God on the point show this to be the sin ; and were 
God to accept a man altogether irrespective of the 
reasons found in the man's case, and to prefer that 
man to another who is in exactly the same position, 
He would do that which, in the very essence and 
letter of the thing done, would be the acceptance 
of 2i person— it would be preferring the person^ and 
not the truth and righteousness in the case ; it 
would be a sacrifice of all just principle on the part 
of God. O! let us rejoice that our God*' is no 
respecter of persons ; " let us glory in the Bible, by 
which we are enabled, on His own authority, to 
make such a declaration. Let us devote our best 
energies to the everlasting and total banishment of 
those falsehoods that have so long triumphed over 
the prostrate souls of men, and led them to think 
of a Sovereign God as a respecter of persons. 

It is unnecessary to proceed farther with the 
proof of the truth I have sought to establish. We 
have seen that the doctrine of universal predestina- 
tion involves that God does evil that good may 
come, — that it involves the idea that God condemns 
others for that which He Himself decrees and car- 
ries out, — and that it holds Him forth to man as 
cliargeable with the injustice of respect of persons 
in an infinite degree. It will not do for the advo- 
cates of the doctrine to grow^big with indignation 



THE JUSTICE OF GOD. 7i 

at these assertions: let them disprove them. It is 
vain for such to put their theory in the throne of 
Jehovah, and then ask, " Who art thou that repli- 
est against God ? " Let them first prove that their 
doctrine is of God. It is also vain to speak of 
mystery^ when the only thing involved in the mys- 
tery is the question how they are to prove their as- 
sertions. Let them bring their proof out of the 
impenetrable gloom in which it abides, and then 
they may be peraiitted to speak of mysteries. But, 
O ! my hearer, be it yours to rejoice that you have 
a God of unspotted and unyielding justice, whose 
love is free to you, through the honorable propitia- 
tion of that justice in the atonement of Jesus. 
Let your soul be for ever relieved from the plague 
of universal predestination ; see that it is but a 
dream of the night — a phantom created by igno- 
rance, and destined to vanisli with the approach of 
light. Be freed from its mystifying and perplexing 
snares, by regarding it, in its true character, as a 
falsehood, and realizing the solemnity and responsi- 
bility of the position which you occupy as a free 
subject of a righteous God, enjoying that blessed 
confidence which a clear and intelHgent sense of 
His infallible rectitude is fitted to inspire. You are 
free to form the strongest conceptions of His jus- 
tice, for that is not now your enemy, but your 
friend. Jesus has answered for your guilt ; and the 
infinitely righteous Jehovah invites you to repose 
in His mercy and love, and to be as really His child 
as if you had not sinned. How glorifying to God 
whose Spirit has ever abhorred iniquity, to see Him, 
after making atonement to justice for your sin, de- 



. 2 PREDESTINATION AND THE JUSTICE OF GOD. 

daring His infinite desire that you should enjoy 
His eternal friendship. O ! my hearer, be not sat- 
isfied with merely/ renouncing the doctrine of pre- 
destination, but gladly embrace the love of your 
propitious God. " Acquaint yourself now with 
Him, and be at peace." 



LEOTUEE IV. 

PREDESTINATION AND THE TRUTH OF GOD. 

JSTo subject, connected with the character of God, 
can exceed in importance the truthfulness of that 
cliaracter. If this is rendered obscure, or has a 
suspicion cast upon it, the soul of man in vain seeks 
for a resting-place. The doctrine that may be 
rightly charged with even the concealment of this 
attribute of God, is worthy of the most unequivo- 
cal renunciation by every immortal being. We 
shall see, in the course of our inquiry, that the doc- 
trine of universal predestination not only conceals, 
and renders doubtful, the divine veracity and hon- 
esty, but that it is impossible to reconcile the doc- 
trine with the belief in that veracity at all. In pur- 
suing this subject, I shall first state some of the 
more manifest principles of truthfulness, and then 
apply these to the doctrine in hand, in connection 
with some of the dealings of Jehovah with men. 

I. Let us consider some of the more promi- 
nent FEATURES OF TRUTHFUL CONDUCT. 

The declaration of Scripture, confirmed in the 
conscience of every man, is, that Jehovah is " a 
God of Truth." We can only truly value this 
blessed testimony in proportion as we see and value 
the real nature of truth itself. 

7 



74 PREDESTINATION AND 

1. To use words the obvious sense of v)hich is 
false, is contrary to a character of veracity. To 
utter words that convey to the mind of another a 
false idea when that person takes the words in their 
common and obvious import, is to utter falsehood. 
To do this is infinitely inconsistent with the charac- 
ter of a truthful God. Yet we shall see that were 
the doctrine of predestination true, as we have seen 
it stated in the words of its advocates, there are 
many of the declarations of God that, in the obvi- 
ous and common meaning of the words, as well as 
from the connection in which these words occur, 
would convey falsehood to the mind. We shall see 
that were this doctrine true, there are most solemn 
declarations of God that would be plainly and pal- 
pably untrue. ISTow, plain, unambiguous falsehood 
is the most palpable proof we can have of the ab- 
sence of truthfulness in those who make the false 
statement. 

2. But if one speak so as to make that seem 
TRUE which is not really so, his conduct is inconsist- 
ent loith truthfulness. I mean, in this remark, to 
point out the course that may be pursued by a per- 
son who does not make statements that in them- 
selves are untrue, but \vho utters statements that 
imply other statements of a false kind. For exam- 
ple, if a man makes a statement to me that he in- 
vites me to a feast — it is quite true that he invites 
me, but the fact of this invitation implies that he 
has a feast provided for me, and that it is his real 
desire that I should accept the invitation. If he 
has no feast for me, and does not really intend that 
I should accept the invitation, the utterance of that 



THE TKUTII OF GOD. 75 

invitation is itself an act of base falsehood. Or if a 
man professes to pity me when I am ill, and actual- 
ly sheds tears over me in token of pity, this implies 
that he is really desiring, and will do his utmost for 
my recovery. If he has an infallible remedy in his 
possession, and is withholding it at the very mo- 
ment that he is weeping over my illness, his conduct 
is false, and will be denounced as such by the uni- 
verse of mind. 

3. Although involved in the former^ I may nie72- 
tion jKirticularly, that speaking loith a mental res- 
ervation is universally contrary to the attribute of 
truth. If you speak to a man so that an impression 
is made on his mind which would be completely 
destroyed were you to utter all you know, you are 
not speaking according to truth. This blessed and 
divine attribute courts the light. It has no secrets 
that contradict that which is uttered, and whenever 
such secrets are kept, the Spirit of Truth is not 
there. Now, we shall see speedily, that it is impos- 
sible to show any one of these features in the con- 
duct of God, if the doctrine of universal predesti- 
nation be true. In other words, it will be seen that 
this doctrine, if admitted, destroys the idea of truth 
in God. 

II. Let us consider some of the prominent 

ACTS AND DECLARATIONS OF GOD IN TFIE LIGHT OF 
THESE PRINCIPLES, AND ALSO IN THAT. OF THE DOC- 
TRINE IN QUESTION. 

Observe, my hearer, that truth, and he who has 
truth on his side, never seeks refuge in darkness ; 



76 PREDESTINATION AND 

and as I apply these principles, and the acts and 
declarations of God, to the doctrine especially of 
God's foreordination of sin and death, it can not be 
tolerated in the man who opposes on the pretense 
of being the advocate of truth that he should plead 
unfkthoraable mystery. 

1. Consider the conduct of God in connection 
with the fall of man. The doctrine I oppose is, 
that this fatal crime was fixed to be by God from 
all eternity. This doctrine is stated as follows : — " I 
confess indeed that all the decendants of Adam fell 
by the divine will into that miserable condition in 
which they are now involved ; and this is what I 
asserted from the beginning, that we must always 
return at last to the sovereign determination of 
God's will, the cause of which is hidden in him- 
self." * Again, — "It is an awful decree, I confess; 
but no one can deny that God foreknew the future 
final state of man before He created him, and that 
He did foreknow it, because it was appointed by 
His own decree." Again, — " For the first man fell 
because the Lord had determined it should so hap- 
pen." There is no ambiguity in these statements. 
If words have meaning they declare the fall, or first 
i?in of man, to be the result of God's irrevocable 
and impassable decree. Now, I affirm, and will im- 
mediately prove, that if these statements are admit- 
ted, it is impossible to make it appear that God ad- 
heres to the truth. Hear what He says to our first 
parents, in reference to the act of disobedience now 
under consideration : — " The tree of knowledge of 
good and evil, which is in the midst of the garden, 
* Calvin's Institutes, book iii. cli. xxiii. 



THE TRUTH OF GOD. 77 

ye shall not eat of it^ for in the day that thou eat- 
est thereof thou shalt sukely die." Now, what 
appears from this command and most dreadful 
threatening of instant death ? Does it not appear 
that it is God's determination that, if possible, they 
shall be prevented from falling? Place yourselves 
in their situation, and try to conceive of what your 
impression would have been from the words of God. 
Would you have gathered from these words the 
idea, that He had secretly determined that the very 
crime which He had threatened with death should 
be committed nevertheless? Look at the inexpress- 
ibly awful calumny that is made to rest upon God 
by the fearful docti-ine of a predestinated fall. Is 
it not high time that we had awakened out of sleep, 
and had come to the help of the Lord agUinst the 
mighty ? The charge against God of decreeing the 
fall, and at the same time threatening death if His 
decree was fulfilled, is surely sufficient to shake the 
confidence of any man in that system that involves 
such a monsti'ous absurdity. Oh ! my hearer ! be- 
ware of indifference on such a point as this. If you 
are jealous of your own good name, much more 
may you be so of God's. 

2. Consider the conduct of God immediately 
after the fall of man. Let us ask if that conduct 
is such as accords with the idea that the fall was the 
fulfillment of His own decree ? Was this what ap- 
peared from His words to our first parents and to 
the tempter? Read His words : — "And the Lord 
said unto the serpent. Because thou hast done this, 
thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every 
beast of the field : upon thy belly shalt thou go, 

7* 



78 PREDESTINATION AND 

and dust slialt thou eat all the days of thy life. 
And I will put enmity between thee and the wo* 
man, and between thy seed and her seed ; it shall 
bruise thy head, and thou shalt briirlse his heel. 
Unto the woman He said, I will greatly multiply 
thy sorrow and thy conception : in sorrow thou 
shalt bring forth children ; and thy desire shall be 
to thy husband and he shall rule over thee. And 
unto Adam He said. Because thou hast hearkened 
unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the 
tree, of which I commanded thee saying, Thou shalt 
not eat of it ; cursed is the ground for thy sake ; in 
sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life : 
thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee ; 
and thou shalt eat the herb of the field. In the 
sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou re- 
turn unto the ground : for out of it wast tliou ta- 
ken : for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou re- 
turn." Gen. iii. 14-19. 

Now, my hearer, think on these words of God, 
and ask. Are they fitted to make an impression in 
accordance with the statement that Satan and man 
had just accomplished the fultillment of that decree 
which Jehovah had fixed, and that they had pro- 
duced the very thing wliich He had ordained to 
take place, in order that He niigjit honor Himself 
thereby? It can not be that your preceptions of 
truth are so bUnd and perverted, as that you shall 
fail to see that, if the decree in question be true, 
God did not act so as to make the truth appear, but 
so as to make an impression contrary to that truth. 
I call upon you, in the name of that God who is 
thus calumniated by those who profess to do Him 



THE TEUTH OF GOD. 79 

honor, not only to renounce the vile falsehood of 
universal predestination for yourself, but to be stir- 
red up to seek its everlasting extinction from the 
minds of men. 

3. Consider the promise of a Saviour made hy 
God at the fall. This is made in the pronouncing 
of the curse on the serpent in these words, — " He 
shall bruise thy head." We have the full statement 
of the meaning of this promise in the Epistle to 
the Hebrews (ch. ii. 14-15 ), "Forasmuch, then, as 
the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He 
also Himself likewise took part of the same, that 
through death He miglit destroy him that had the 
power of death, that is, the devil ; and deliver them 
who, through fear of death,vwere all their lifetime 
subject to bondage." Let my hearer ask his own 
mind what is made to appear in all this. Is it that 
the devil had just done that which God had pleased 
should be done, and which He had from all eternity 
decreed to take place ? Again, does it accord with 
the idea that the great Saviour was to die in order 
to atone for a fulfillment of Jehovah's decree ? I 
confess, ray hearer, that I blush for humanity in 
asking such questions as these ; yet I am forced to 
ask them. Thousands upon thousands of the in- 
habitants of Scotland, if asked, " What are the de- 
crees of God? " tell you that they " are His eternal 
purpose, according to the counsel of His will, where- 
by, for His own glory. He hath foreordained what- 
soever comes to pass." Ay, thousands are prepared 
to tell you of the most disgraceful acts of their 
lives, " that was before us and we could not get 
past it." The vast majority of Scotland's profess- 



80 PKEDESTINATION AND 

ing Christians are solemnly bound to that doctrine 
as the standard of their religion and the confession 
of their faith. We are thus compelled to ask such 
questions, and to press them upon the attention of 
men. Does it then appear^ from the promised sac- 
rifice of Jesus, that that sacrifice was an atonement 
for that which God Himself had determined should 
be done ? If this is to be held, there is an end to 
all understanding of truth, as that by which the 
reality and not the falsehood is made apparent. 

4. Consider the hearing of this doctrine upon 
the gospel as more fidlg proclaimed. The more 
clearly we hear the glad tidings of salvation, the 
more striking is the contradiction manifest between 
it and the doctrine now before us. That doctrine 
involves what is stated in the following words : — 
"In regard, again, to the other light in which 
Christ's purchase may be viewed as a purchase, not 
of certain benefits for men but of men themselves, 
there is room for an important distinction. In right 
of His merit. His service, and His sacrifice, all are 
given into His hands, and all are His. All, there- 
fore, may be said to be bought by Him, inasmuch 
as by His humiliation, obedience, and death. He has 
obtained, as by purchase, a right over all — He has 
got all under His power. But it is for very differ- 
ent purposes and ends. The reprobate are His to 
be judged ; the elect are His to be saved. As to 
the former, it is no ransom or redemption, fairly so 
called. He has won them — bought them, if you 
will — but it is that He may so dispose of them as to 
glorify the retributive righteousness of God in their 
condemnation — aggravated as that condemnation 



THE TRUTH OF GOD. 81 

must be by their rejection of Himself. This is no 
propitiation in any sense at all — no offering of Him- 
self to bear tiieir sins — no bringing in of a perfect 
righteousness on their account; but an office or 
function which He has obtained for Himself by the 
same work — or has intrusted to Him for the sake of 
the same shedding of blood — by wliich He expiated 
the sins of His people, as their true and proper sub- 
stitute, and merited their salvation, as their repre- 
sentative and head — an office or function, moreover, 
which He undertakes solely in His people's behalf, 
and which He executes faithfully for their good, as 
well as for His Father's glory" * - Mark well this 
extraordinary passage ; and let us prepare to con- 
trast it with the truth as it is in Jesus. Here you 
have a very bold and most confident assertion that 
the death of Jesus is " no hansom " for a large por- 
tion of mankind. It is something in virtue of which 
He has got them into His hands to destroy them, 
but it is no propitiation for them. This is said to be 
the truth according to the doctrine of universal 
predestination. No statements can be more dis- 
tinct and unequivocal, showing that Jesus did not 
bear the sins of the reprobate, so as to furnish them 
with good news, from the fact of His death and 
resurrection. Let us, then, turn to the declarations 
of God, which are said to be His revealed vnll^ and 
see how they agree with this which is said to be 
the secret reality. He says of Jesus by His inspir- 
ed forerunner, — " Behold the Lamb of God bearing 
the sin of the world ! " I quote literally from the 
original of John i. 29. Again, "There is one God 
* Candlish on the Atonement, pp. 7 and 8. 



82 PREDESTINATION AND 

and one Mediator between God and man, the man 
Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all." 
Again, — " He is the propitiation for our sins, and 
not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole 
world." This is the gospel, for Paul says so in ad- 
dressing the Corinthians (1 Cor. xv,). He declares 
the gospel to be, that Christ died for our sins, and 
was buried and rose again. Now, hear Jesus, " Go 
into all the world, and preach the gospel to every 
creature." How does this accord with what I have 
quoted above? What is the impression which this 
language is fitted to make ? Is it not this— that 
Jesus bore the sins of " every creature " to whom 
the good neivs of His death is sent? Is not this 
the meaninor of the commission — the meaninsr that 
lies on the very surface of it — -that meaning which 
every simple mind, on hearing it, would receive as 
the intention of the speakers or writers of the 
words ? Are we to believe that, in giving the com- 
mission of the gospel that it might be carried to 
every creature, Jesus had this mental reservation — 
that the great majority of those to whom this gos- 
pel was sent were by Himself decreed to everlast- 
ing death, and entirely excluded from all benefit in 
His great propitiation by that irrevocable decree ? 
No wonder that men tell us that they are incapable 
of reconcihng these things. But it is matter of 
wonder that any man in his senses should state that 
which^ if admitted to be true, entirely destroys the 
very idea of God being a God of truth. 

5. Consider the appeal of God^ lohich He makes 
on oath^ by the prophet EzeMel. Think of the im- 
pression which these words are fitted to make : "As 



THE TRUTH OF GOD. 83 

I live, saith the Lord, I have no pleasure in the 
deatli of the wicked." Take this most solemn and 
awful disclaimer, and put it side by side with the 
following doctrine : — " Whom God passes by, there- 
foi-e, He reprobates, and from no other cause than 
His determination to exclude them from the inher- 
itance which He predestinates for His children." * 
Again, — " The rest of mankind ( that is the repro- 
bate ) God WAS PLEASED, according to the unsearch- 
able counsel of His own will, whereby He extend- 
eth or withholdeth mercy as He pleaseth, for the 
glory of His sovereign power over "His creatures, 
to pass by, and to ordain them to dishonor and 
wrath for their sins, to the praise of His glorious 
justice."! Which of these two representations of 
God's mind are we to adopt ? If we take the first 
as really presenting the truth, we can not take the 
second. The first is God's declaration on oath^ that 
He has no pleasure in the death of the wicked ; the 
second is man's declaration that God has pleasure 
in that death, and sternly forbids us to seek the 
first cause of that death anywhere but in the will 
of God ! If the second be true, the first is a pro- 
fession irreconcilable with the truth ; and hence we 
must either renounce it, or give up truth as an at- 
tribute of God. It is impossible to do otherwise 
than take one or the other of these alternatives, if 
you think on the subject at all. O ! that the infa- 
mous falsehood of predestination were uprooted 
from the souls of men. Why should it be held for 
a moment ? Simply because men refuse to admit 
that God could create a being whose will should be 
* Calvin's Inst. b. iii. ch. xviii. \ Conf. ch. iii. 



84 PREDESTINATION AND 

perfectly free, and whose actions should be events 
truly and absolutely contingent in their nature. 
Grant Jehovah but this power — the glory of being 
capable of knowing and causing the absolute free- 
dom of this human soul, and you withdraw from 
His name the infamy of having caused the sin and 
deatli of millions, while He declares on oath that 
He has no pleasure in the death of any one. Think, 
my hearer, of the fact, that you must yet feel all 
your weight for eternity de})ending upon truth in 
God, and you will not put this subject readily aside. 
6. Consider the weeping of Jesus on the Mount 
of Olives. It is thus recorded by Luke: "And 
when He was come near. He beheld the city, and 
wept over it, saying. If [or, O that] thou hadst 
known, even thou at least in this thy day, the things 
that belong to thy peace ; but now they are hid 
from thine eyes ! " What would be the impression 
that these tears, and that exclamation, would make 
upon the mind of an attentive spectator of this 
scene ? Would it not be that the whole heart of 
this Saviour was yearning over the lost ? Would 
the idea strike the mind that this same Being had 
ordained to perdition all over whom He was weep- 
ing, and that He was so arranging and controlling 
all things so as to secure the destruction of those 
over whom He was thus lamenting? If any man 
can believe the doctrine of reprobation, or of the 
'-'•passing hy^'' of the lost by God, in the face of the 
weeping Jesus, he can believe also that truth is 
falsehood, and falsehood truth — that good is evil, 
and evil good — he can believe any contradiction 
that it is possible to couch in language. He has in- 



TUE TRUTH OF GOD. 85 

deed a gigantic faith. But sncli a man must ac- 
count for his fiith, and be answerable for its effects. 
He ranst yet feel that he has borne his share in 
that vast corruption of the human mind in which 
all religion is treated with contempt, or secret aver- 
sion, as a mass of the most contradictory absurdi- 
ties. O ! my hearer, let me entreat you to think 
how you would like to have that conduct ascribed 
to you, which this doctrine ascribes to God. If you 
cared a straw for your character as a man of truth, 
you would regard the wide spread belief that such 
was your way, as one of the greatest of injuries. 
Let us rejoice that this horrid dogma of a dying 
system is so manifestly opposed to the plain truth 
of God. Let us take His ow7i expressions as the in- 
dex of Plis heart ; and we shall find, that, as is the 
index, so is every secret thought and design that 
even eternity itself shall reveal. 

What, then, is the conclusion to which we are 
led by the whole of this subject ? Can we longer 
believe that God has foreordained the destinies of 
men ? Can we believe that His expressed mind is 
no index of His secret will ? Must we conclude 
that, when He weeps over a soul lost, and thus ex- 
ternally expresses the deepest grief at the loss, still, 
secretly^ He is quite satisfied with the event, as one 
of those which He decreed from all eternity for the 
promotion of His glory ? Must not the soul abhor 
such ideas of God ? Must we not feel constrained 
to renounce forever a creed that is founded on 
them ? Must we not labor to overturn the delusion 
that has spread itself over our land, slaying it by 
the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God ? 
. 8 



86 PREDESTINATION AND THE TRUTU OF GOD. 

O ! let as realize His love — His deep, earnest, and 
universal love. Let us fix our minds upon that most 
glorious display of His love that we have in His sac- 
rifice for the whole world. Let us not overlook 
His condescention and desire, as the Almighty Spir- 
it, for the world's conversion. Let us remember 
that, when He says He is resisted, it is really so ; 
and yet He suffers long, and is kind. He continues 
to strive that the heart of the guilty and ungrate- 
ful may be won. Let us dwell upon the heart of 
our Lord thus revealed ; and, freed from the fearful 
bondage of the idea that all is fixed, let us seek, by 
the Spirit and Truth of God, to pluck many, who 
are as yet brands, from the fearful burning. Hear- 
er, you are free to the love of God. All are wel- 
come, for Jesus has died for all, and God is love to 
all. Be inspired with sympathy, with this universal 
love, and live to Him who loved you and gave Him- 
self for you. 



LECTUEE y. 

PREDESTINATION AND THE LOVE OF GOD. 

The truth by which Jesus Himself brought the 
mind of Nicodemus to peace and rest, is that which, 
above all others, expresses the love of God. It has 
proved the resting-place of many a soul since it was 
uttered in the hearing of the Jewish ruler ; and 
there is sufficient in it when understood and believ- 
ed, to be the rest and peace of every soul of man : 
" God so loved the world, that He gave His only- 
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him 
might not perish, but have everlasting life." The 
spirit and value of this truth depends upon the uni- 
versality and intensity of the love of God ; and the 
heaviest charge that can be brought against the 
doctrine of predestination, as generally understood, 
is that of mangling, and hiding from the dying eye, 
this blessed remedy for the soul. 

Let us, then, in a series of remarks, bring out 
and conlirm this charge against the doctiine in 
question. 

1. The doctrine of imwersal lyredestination 
hides^ most effectually^ the unbounded extent of di- 
vine love. That the benevolence or love of God 
embraces every man, is a truth so involved in the 
stih more glorious truth that " God is love," that it 
is impossible to believe the one and not, at the same 
time, to beUeve the other. How can any one be- 



88 PKEDESTINATION AXD 

lieve that " God is love," and, at the same time, 
believe tliat He is not love to every creature capa- 
ble of being an object of that aifection ? God can 
not, in His nature, and in the essential principle of 
His mind, be one thing to one man and another 
thing to another man. He is not double-minded in 
any sense. This is a most blessed truth ; it is, in- 
deed, a treasure to every soul that realizes it. The 
Lord of Hosts, while He approves of the holy, and 
in the sense of approval loves only such as are 
so, is benevolent, and, in this sense, is love — real 
and unlimited love to all. Hence, not a sinner on 
the face of the earth requires to be at a loss for a 
friend. Every created heart might be cold to the 
outcast, and yet one heart is love to him, and that 
the heart of his God. Thus Jehovah bids us love 
even our enemies, because He has first set us the 
example of loving His. 

Let us now see how the doctrine of predestina- 
tion agrees with this. It is most evident that one 
or other of them must die ; they can not both live 
in one mind. Calvin, remarking on the case of the 
lost, in connection with that gross mistranslation * 
that occurs in the common version of Isaiah vi, 9, 
10, says, *' Observe, He directs His voice to them, 
butit is that they may become more deaf; He kin- 
dles a light, but it is that they may become more 
blind ; He publishes His doctrine, but it is that they 
may become more besotted; He applies a remedy, 
but it is that they may not be healed." Now, can 
any one, believing that passage, also believe that 
these are objects of divine love ? It is im[)ossible. 
* See the Lecture on this and its kmdred passages. 



THE LOYE OF GOD. 89 

But mark, this treatment is not tlie consequence of 
their sin ; it is the declared cause of their sin, and 
the result of God's eternal decree ! This treatment, 
as we have seen from repeated quotations already, 
is God's making way for the fulfilhnent of His de- 
crees. How, then, is it possible for those holding 
this idea to believe that "God is love " to those 
who are thus treated ? It is absolutely impossible ; 
and thus one of the most gloi'ious truths in the uni- 
verse is banished from the mind. We may illus- 
trate and prove the truth of this remark by looking 
into the views of those who advocate the doctrine 
now in hand. There is, for example, one most ex- 
traordinary way of meeting this argument against 
predestination, as generally held, which I met with 
lately. It is found in the following words, and is 
supposed to prove the univei'sality of divine love : 
" To say, as some do, that the atonement, if held to 
be undertaken for a certain number, can not be a 
demonstration of love to all, is to confound the se- 
cret with the revealed will of God. Were the par- 
ties, whether {q^^n or many, for whom it is underta- 
ken, named in the proclamation of it, it could not 
be a demonstration of good-will to mankind gener- 
ally, or to sinners indiscriminately, as such. But, 
since what is revealed is simply the way of accept- 
ance, or the principle on which God acts in justify- 
ing the ungodly, it seems plain, that to whomsoever 
such a revelation comes, with names and numbers 
suppressed, it is, in its very nature, a revelation of 
love." ^ What, then, is the love of God, that is 
love to all ? This author tells us that it is love that 

* Candlish on the Atonement, pp. 19, 20. 
8* 



90 PREDESTINATION AND 

depends for its existence, even in appearance, on 
the suppression of the truth. And what do men 
generally think of love that requires, even for ex 
isteiice in appearance, the suppression of truth ? 
What do they understand by love tliat would cease 
even to appear to be, the moment the whole secret 
of the lieart is revealed ? They think it love in 
name only, and generally call it hypocrisy. I doubt 
if ever a more fatal passage was penned in defense 
of Uuiiting decrees, than that which we have quot- 
ed. It is fatal to the doctrine it is intended to de- 
fend. The writer is compelled to admit the un- 
iversality of God's love, and he confesses, with 
great simplicity, that the best love to all, of which 
his doctrine admits, is love that depends for its dem- 
onstration on the suppression of names and num- 
bers ! Surely, the time will come when such con- 
fessions will have their due weight with men. Only 
think of the effect which it would have on the char- 
acter of an advocate who pretended to defend a 
criminal at the bar, if he frankly admitted that the 
demonstration of the innocence of him whose cause 
he advocated depended in the suppression of 
" names and numbers ! " Would not innocence be 
in a sad predicament in the hands of such a pleader ? 
And where is the love of God in the hands of the 
pleader before us ? He admits that its demonstra- 
tion depends on the suppression of " names and 
numbers" — his doctrine compels him to make the 
admission — what, then, are we to think of the doc- 
trine ? Is it from God ? No. Let us rejoice, my 
liearer, that it is not. Neither does nature, nor 
does Providence, nor does the Bible, speak such 



THE LOVE OP GOD, 91 

fearful absurdity of God. These great and consis- 
tent expounders of tlie heart of our Father com- 
bine their energies of expression, to convey to our 
minds, with the greatest possible force, the blessed 
reality that " God is love " to every creature He 
has formed ; and that He so loved the world of men 
as to give up His most precious gift to be a sacrifice 
for its sins, that not one soul might want a clear 
way back to the bosom from which it had strayed. 
God's heart needs no concealment. No. Could 
you see its utmost depth — could you know its most 
secret sentiment — and could you open and lead the 
book of His most mysterious decrees, and have all 
Jehovah before your mind, you would only be more 
deeply and overpoweringly impressed with the sen- 
timent, that "God is love." Rejoice that this 
truth shall yet rise, by the steady power of God 
Himself, above all the rubbish that the error of ages 
has thrown upon it, and shine forth before the eyes 
of the world like the sun in his strength. My hear- 
er, be it yours to come near to the heart of your 
God : His heart and hand are bending and stretch- 
ed out toward you now% O! be assured of His 
boundless love, 

2. The doctrine in question hides the true inten- 
sity of the love of God. It represents God as 
dealing with human nature very much in the way 
in wdiich a careless potter would deal with a piece 
of clay — making it into vessels, some of wdiich w^ere 
of no use but to be destroyed, and others to various 
other purposes. This idea of the potter and the 
clay is a Scripture one; but the beauty of the Bible 
truth is entirely defaced by the character that is 



92 PREDESTINATION AND 

given to the potter. In the Bible, he is one who 
makes the most of every means in order to form 
the clay, and all the clay into vessels of honor. In 
the doctrine of those who advocate predestination 
he puts the clay upon the wheel at firsts with a de- 
termination that a great part of it will be made into 
vessels for destruction. This is not like God. We 
shall take one Scriptural illustration of the intensity 
of the love of God toward the lost. In Luke xv. 
we have an account of Jesus charged as being "the 
friend of sinners." Read there His three parables 
of the lost sheep, the lost piece of money, and the 
lost son. Think of the feelings of the shepherd 
who lost his sheep, or those of the woman who lost 
the money, or of the father of the prodigal — all of 
which are taken to show the nature of the feelings 
of God. Think if they can possibly agree with the 
idea of God as one who decreed from all eternity 
the everlasting destruction of millions of souls, and 
who did this purely of His own will. The shep- 
herd is so intensely interested in the lost sheep, that 
he comparatively forgets the ninety-and-nine that 
are left. If this be a fair representation of God, 
can the foreordination of men to wrath, or the 
"passing by" of the greater portion of them, be 
true? It is impossible. Here, again, we see that 
one of the two doctrines must be given up. We 
can not both hold the infinite intensity of God's 
love to souls, and believe that He can treat them in 
this way. This is an argument that tells against all 
forms of limitincf the grrace of God. It is no more 
possible to reconcile it with the idea of sinners 



THE LOVE OF GOD. 93 

" passed by," tlian with that of sinners " ordained 
to wrath." 

3. The doctrine in question overlooks the true 
nature of the love of God. It takes for granted 
tliat God may be love to one being and not to an- 
other. Now, while this is true of His complacency 
in a holy being, it is false of His benevolence, or 
true and uncliangeable love. It is true that He de- 
lights to contemplate holiness, and that He abhors 
sin, and in this sense loves no unholy being whatev- 
er ; but it is not with this love that the doctrine of 
predestination interferes in any way whatever: it is 
with the truth regarding the benevolence or com- 
passion—or real love of the heart of God. Tiie 
doctrine regards this love as an exercise^ rather than 
a changeless attribute of the divine mind. It plac- 
es love in God in the same position as that which 
we find it occupying in man, — that is, we find man 
capable of loving merely — we do not find love to 
be a changeless attribute of his nature. We, there- 
fore, find him capable of loving one and hating an- 
other — of having compassion for one, and no com- 
passion for another, who is equally requiring his 
compassion. Love with man is thus a mere change- 
able exercise of the mind ; and hence it would be 
false to say of any man, he " is love." But this is 
the Bible description of the moral nature of God : 
it is the most glorious truth in the universe — " God 
is love." This is, indeed, the fountain from which 
that universe has sprung, and from which all the 
wants of that universe are supplied. Now, how 
can God, who is love, be, in this love, one thing to 
one man which He is not to another ? How can 



94 PEEDESTINATION AND 

He possess one changeless attribute of character — 
an attribute wliicli is the sum of all the rest ? How 
can He possess this when contemplating one case of 
sin and misery, and not possess it when He contem- 
plates another? The fact is, that we mifst give up 
the idea that " God is love''"' in its full meaning, and 
in every truly glorious meaning that we can con- 
ceive, if we hold the doctrine of universal predesti- 
nation. How can we hold that of two men, equal- 
ly guilty and helpless, God will pity and love the 
one, and detei-mine him for heaven, and not pity 
nor love the other, and determine him, out of His 
mere will, for hell ! How is it conceivable that a 
man can have the true idea of Jehovah's love, and 
such a doctrine in his mind's belief at the same 
time ! It is absolutely impossible. We may grant 
the possibility of His making a declaration of the 
belief of both in loords^ but we can not grant his 
actually possessing in His mind both ideas. 

Only contrast the two. " God is love," infinite, 
unchangeable, universal love — love to every being 
because unchangeable love in His own heart itself. 
Take this glorious truth along with the following : 
" Now, with respect to the reprobate, whom the 
apostle introduces in the same place ; as Jacob with- 
out any merit, yet obtained by good works, is made 
an object of grace : so Esau, while yet unpolluted 
by any crime, is accounted an object of hatred." 
Again, — " Lastly, He subjoins a concluding obser- 
vation, that God hath mercy on whom He will have 
mercy, and whom He will he hardeneth. You see 
how He attributes both to the mere will of God. 
If, thei-efore, we can assign no reason why He 



THE LOVE OF GOD. 95 

grants mercy to His people but because such is His" 
pleasure, neither shall we find any other cause but 
His will for the reprobation of others. For when 
God is said to harden or show mercy to whom He 
pleases, men are brought, by this declaration, to 
seek no cause besides Jlis loillP * Here, then, is 
Jacob and Esau, yet unborn — both helpless objects 
— unborn infants. Jehovah is represented as look- 
ing upon the two ; and, merely because He so wills, 
He loves the one and hates the other! And, my 
hearer, does this accord with your ideas of the 
truth that " God is love ? " I venture to affirm, 
that you will as soon create a world as you will hold 
both of these ideas as portions of the belief of your 
mind at the same time. Is it not, then, indubita- 
bly evident, that the one doctrine destroys the 
other? You must surrender one of them ; — which 
shall it be ? the doctrine that ^'■God is /owe," or the 
doctrine that is infinitely opposed to that idea f O ! 
it is surely not difficult to choose between the two. 
There is surely enough of humanity — fallen human- 
ity in the one, and enough of manifest divinity in 
the other, to determine the choice. 

4. The doctrine in question throios susp)icion 
upon the reality of divine love altogether. We 
shall see the force of this remark if we take the 
case of a father of a family. Let us suppose that 
he has born to him two children — twins. Let us 
suppose that he looks upon these little helpless ones 
the firvSt time they are presented to him, and he 
loves the one and hates the other. What should 
we think of such love ? Should we set it down as 
* Calvin's Institutes. 



96 PREDESTINATION AND 

real undoubted compassion and kindness of heart, 
or infamous and most capricious favoritism ? I 
leave my hearer to answer. Mark, Ave are not per- 
mitted to suppose that this father found any reason 
in the two children why he preferred the one to the 
other. He just lollled to love the one and to hate 
the otiier. And is this love ? — is this real love ?— 
is this all the love that we are to ascribe to our 
God ? — love that can thus will to embrace one un- 
BOiiN INFANT aiid reject another. Let the question 
ring in tlie ears, and trouble the soul of the man 
who will yield to prejudice instead of the truth of 
God ; and let him never rest until he answer it. 
No favorite can possibly regard the favoritism by 
which he is distinguished from his equally deserving 
and equally helpless and needy neighbor, with the 
reverence that is paid in the inmost soul to real 
love. N^o man can be truly devoted to the doctrine 
of universal predestination, as we have quoted it in 
the words of one of its greatest advocates, and at 
the same time be deeply imbued with the influence 
of divine love. If his heart is to be devoted to the 
one, he must desert the other. The very reality of 
divine love must be sacrificed in the mind, or the 
doctrine in question must be dismissed. O ! then, 
my hearer, think not that, as a practical question, 
the one now before us is of small moment. Thou- 
sands are under the full influence of that horrid doc- 
trine; and because they are so, they fail entirely to 
perceive and realize the love of God. They are 
living as if they were the subjects of a capricious, 
and, it may be to them, a cold-hearted king. The 
great calumniator of God is doing his utmost to 



THE LOVE OF GOD. 97 

strengthen the error and perpetuate the dehision. 
Who is not bound to do his utmost to burst the 
spell by the destruction of the truth regarding God ? 
If we are "not our own, but bougiit with a price, 
even the precious blood of Christ," and thus bound 
to "glorify God in our bodies and spirits, which are 
His," surely we are, above all, bound to use both 
these bodies and spirits in seeking to clear His 
name from this most fearful stain. Understand, 
then, for yourselves, and be prepared thus to be 
the means in God's hand of removing the delusions 
of your fellow-men. Let your soul drink deep 
into the fountain of divine love, that out of the 
fullness of your heart, your lips may speak of Je- 
hovah. 

5. The doctrine in question hides one of the 
tnost glorious displays of the love of God. Next 
to the redemption of man by the sacrifice of Jesus, 
the creation of a being truly free stands prominent 
as a display of divine love. We see benevolence in 
the existence and wonderful construction of the 
-svhole inanimate creation. We see more love in the 
creation of animate, though irrational and instinct- 
ive beings. We see the greatest of all creation's 
displays of love in the constitution of those who are 
fitted to bear the image of God Himself as free 
spirits. " Freedom " is a word that sounds sweetly 
in the ears of every man of right mind, and the 
creation of real and perfect freedom — of liberty un- 
constrained — is truly worthy of God. Now, under 
the hands of the advocates of universal predestina- 
tion, what does freedom become to man ? — what, 
especially, the freedom of the eternally reprobate, 



98 PREDESTINATION AND 

who are " created to shame and death eternal ? " 
If it is freedora at all, it is that of the prey in the 
power of the destroyer. It may be allowed to run 
and sport for a moment or two, but its doom is 
fixed. Lest it should be supposed, again, that my 
language is too strong, and that I load the doctrine 
with inferences of my own, let its great advocate 
speak for himself. What are we to understand by 
the following words ? — " Nor should it be thought 
absurd to affirm, that God not only foresaw the fall"^ 
of the first man, and the ruin of his posterity in 
him, but also arranged all by the determination of 
His own will." Again, — '^ Those, therefore, whom 
He hath created to a life of shame and death of 
destruction, that they might be instruments of His 
wrath, and examples of His severity, He causes to 
reach their appointed end." This is the '"''freedom " 
of predestination. Does it illustrate the love of 
God ? Is it a prominent example of glorious love ? 
Is not all dark around the love of God, when you 
look to such a representation of His dealings ? Do 
you not find it necessary to exclaim, "Mystery! 
mystery ! " when such a view is presented to your 
mind. Yes, it is a mystery how such a position as 
that said to be occupied by the reprobate can be 
that of a free creature ; and how the freedom en- 
joyed by him can be a fruit of love. Once more, 
it is most evident, that he who holds the love of 
God in the creation of man, can not hold the doc- 
trine of universal predestination. He who would 
see the vifinite glory of that kind thought in the 
mind of Jehovah, that grew up to the design of 
calling into existence a race of beings capable of 



THE LOVE OF GOD. 99 

bearing His own image — of entering into the joys 
of His holiness, and of existing as long as Himself 
— ruling upon their thrones for ever, — he who would 
see the incalculable love of that thought, must re- 
ject, for ever, the ideas we have just quoted. 

But on this point we must go further. It in- 
volves redemption of man as well as his creation. 
Where was the love of the sacrifice of Jesus, if 
that sacrifice was not made to gain the hearts of 
free creatures, and still to retain untouched their 
native liberty ? Where was the necessity for that 
sacrifice^ if all things are according to the real^ 
though secret^ will of Jehovah ? If we are to see 
love, must it only be that of Him who first of 
all decrees a calamity, and arranges so that it 
must come, and then makes a sacrifice to remedy 
that which He Himself has decreed ? Would 
it not, we may well ask, be love rather to refrain 
from decreeing the evil at first ? This may be 
called replying against God. I answer, it is re- 
plying against that God who acts in the way de- 
scribed in the quotations I have made ; but I utterly 
deny that it is replying against the God of the Bi- 
ble. This refuge is just a miserable "begging of 
the question." Prove first that God actually did 
determine the guilt of man, and afterward made a 
sacrifice to atone for that which He had Himself 
decreed ; and then charge him who finds fault with 
replying against God. Look, then, at the two 
ideas. God, whose heart of love led Him to create 
a free spirit — that spirit abusing freedom, and 
against every desire and design of God, commit- 
ting sin — God then making an infinitely costly sac- 



100 PREDESTINATION AND 

rifice to atone for that sin, and reclaim this free 
creature to Himself. This is love. Look at the 
other side. God creating a creature under desire 
to sin ; so arranging as to bring about that sin ; and 
then making a sacrifice to atone for it. Which of 
these two ideas are to be preferred ? It is impossi- 
ble for any man to plead misrepresentation here. 
If he does, how can we fairly represent the views 
of men but by quoting their own words ? O ! my 
hearer, see the true glory of your God. See that 
glory, as the glory of love, in His creating us free 
creatures. See our own unfathomable guilt in sin- 
ning against such a Creator. See, then. His love in 
atoning, to His own holy and righteous government, 
for our sins, and condescending to reinstate us in 
our lost privileges, as His own free and forgiven 
children ! Be led to adore His love. Drink deep 
into this blessed and refreshing truth, and be pre- 
pared to overwhelm any idea that is contrary 
to it, by the clearness and fullness of your views 
of the heart of your God. Darkness may con- 
tend with darkness, and the issue may be vic- 
tory to either side, or success to none; but, bring 
the love of God, as displayed in the truth of His 
word, to bear upon error, and the issue can not be 
doubtful. 

6. The doctrine in question proceeds iqjon the 
idea that God is love of fame instead of love 
ITSELF. This, indeed, is the fundamental principle 
of the system to which the doctrine is essential. 
Now, it is quite true that every thtng that God 
does glorifies Him, and it is^true that His real 
glory is the most important and essential object 



THE LOVE OF GOD. 101 

that can be promoted in the universe. It is true, 
tlierefore, that He does nothing but what is fitted 
to promote that glory. This is true, not because 
the supreme and truly glorious principle of His 
character is love of glory ; but because that princi- 
ple is holy love itself. There is all the diiference 
between love ever glorifying itself, because ever 
acting consistently with itself, and a being sacri- 
ficing others merely to glorify His own name— all 
the difference that is between God and a tyrant of 
the worst character. Now, mark the force of the 
following description of God. The doctrine de- 
fended is, that He had predestinated millions from 
eternity to be eternally lost. It may be stated, in 
the words of its own advocates, — " Tliat the repro- 
bate obey not the word of God, when made known 
to them, is justly imputed to the wickedness and 
depravity of their hearts, provided it be at the 
same time stated, that they are abandoned to this 
depravity, because they have been raised up^ by a 
just but inscrutahle judgment of God, to display 
His glory in their condemnation." * Such a state- 
ment as this naturally gives rise to the question, 
" Did God make men for the purpose of condemn- 
ing them, f " Hear how this question is answered : 
" God made man — every man, and every thing, to 
glorify Him." Again, " If the question is asked, 
' Did God make the devil and his angels only to 
damn them ? ' I answer, He made them for His 
own glory." f This, then, is the doctrine : — God 
creates men, whom from all eternity He has fore- 

* Calvin's Inst, book iii. chap. xxiv. 
f Truth and Error, p. 45. 

9* 



102 PREDESTINATION AND 

ordained to condemnation ; but, as it is His object 
to glorify Himself by this, we are not to say that 
He made tliem merely to condemn them. He 
made them for condemnation only as a means to 
an end, and that end, His own fame. Now, it is 
impossible to understand men's words at all, if 
those words we have quoted do not convey the idea 
that God eternally determined to create men for 
eternal death, that thereby He might have glory. 
Is not this just the character that we have in the 
so-called hero, who sees that the sacrifice of a hun- 
dred men is essential to his fame, and he orders 
them to meet death ? By his irresistible word, he 
appoints them that part of the field in which they 
must die, to sustain or promote his fame ! God is 
set before us as fixing His eternal decrees — He 
writes down one million for life, to glorify ITis 
mercy, but He must have another million to glorify 
His power and justice, and He writes down these for 
death. We are not to question the correctness of 
the representation, because He writes down both 
for His glory ! O, infamous libel upon that most 
spotless heart of infinite and universal love! How 
is it possible that such an idea should ever possess 
the minds of ransomed men ! What must be their 
ideas of glory ^ who hold such an idea of God ! 
What glory could arise to justice from the con- 
demnation of men who had been created under a 
decree unalterably fixing their shame and death ! 
These three words, God is love, ought to banish 
such doctrines for ever from the minds of men. 
All the arguments that a sophistical ingenuity ever 
invented, are crushed before that omnipotent and 



THE LOVE OF GOD. 103 

all-embracing truth. O ! my hearer, know that 
God regards every sin as His dishonor. Every 
breaker of the law dishonors Him; and, if He had 
foreordained sin, He would have foreordained His 
own dishonor, and not His glory. If He had fore- 
ordained sin, His punishment of that which He had 
decreed Himself, would have been His deepest dis- 
honor, instead of His glory. But He decreed 
against sin. Every thing that He could do consis- 
tently with maintaining the freedom of man. He 
did and decreed, in order to prevent sin, and 
render unnecessary the condemnation of man. On 
this ground we do see that condemnation is to 
His glory. It is honorable to dispense needful 
justice, and so to uphold the benevolent laws of 
the universe ; but even this glory would be extin- 
guished, if it were true that God had foreordained 
sin. 

What more is needful in order to our most hearty 
renunciation of that doctrine which so fearfully re- 
verses the character of God ? Were our own char- 
acter, or that of some dear friend, so treated as the 
character of God has been, how should we feel and 
act ? We could not be indifterent. We could not 
be passive in the matter. We could not think our 
best and noblest energies misspent in the work of 
needed vindication. Let me, then, earnestly exhort 
the hearer to have his own soul lighted up with the 
true glory of divine love. Let him have his whole 
spirit filled by sympathy with the compassion of 
Jehovah. Let him drink deep into the stream of 
living water, that he may be refreshed with the 
spirit of love and of truth, and then do his utmost 



104 PREDESTINATION AND THE LOYE OF GOD. 

for the clearing of the character and true glory of 
God. O ! ray friend, you can not comprehend the 
vast importance of what is thus before you. Eter- 
nity alone will show how momentous is the work 
to which you are thus called. 



LEG TUEE YI. 

PEEDESTINATION AND THE CRUCIFIXIOjST ipF JESUS. 

In the five foregoing lectures our attention lias 
Deen chiefly confined to the bearing of tlie attri- 
butes of God on the doctrine of predestination. 
Now we must turn to the consideration of tliose 
parts of His word which are quoted in support of 
the idea, that every thing that takes place is prede- 
termined of God Himself. I rejoice to contemplate 
tliis part of our important subject. It will be seen 
that, where dark and darkening views of the glory 
of our great Lord have been given, as the truth re- 
vealed in the texts, many of the most encouraging 
illustrations of His love have been buried beneath 
the comments of men. 

The first passage to which we shall turn is that in 
which the death of Jesus is said to have been the 
result of the decree of God. Acts iv. 27-28 : — 
" For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom 
thou hast anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, 
with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were 
gathered together, for to do whatsoever thy hand 
and thy counsel had determined before to be done." 
This text is supposed to furnish indubitable evidence 
that God hath " foreordained whatsoever comes to 
pass." It is taken as ground for the statement that 
"the deeds of these wicked men" (the murderers 
of Jesus ) are said to have come to pass according 



106 PREDESTINATION AND 

to " the counsel of God." * This text, then, is thus 
supposed to teach emphatically the foreordination 
of sin itself. Let us consider it as thus understood. 

I. What constituted the necessity of pke- 

DESriNATION IN THE MATTER OF JeSUS' DEATH ? 

This is a most important question, inasmuch as 
its answer will show us the impossibility of God's 
predestinating wicked deeds in any circumstances. 

1. / answer^ that sin alone constituted the neces- 
sity of the death and sacrifice of Jesus. Is it pos- 
sible that this can be denied ? Is it conceivable that 
any desire of God's heart would have brought 
about the sacrifice of His most Beloved had it not 
been for sin ? Suppose that no sin had been fore- 
seen of God, and that thus no sin had existed in the 
universe, is it conceivable that such a thing as the 
death of His Son should have been decreed of God ? 
Well, then, we see clearly the cctiise, and the sole 
and first cause of the sacrifice of Jesus. We see 
the necessity that called for it, and that necessity is, 
simply, wicked deeds on the part of men. 

2. We can not find the first necessity for the 
death of Jesus in any of the attributes of God^ 
unless we view these i^i the light in which they are 
affected hy sin. It is true that the love of Jehovah 
gave up Plis Son to die for man ; but Avhy was this 
lov(^ called upon to do so ? What cried out to that 
love to come forth with such a costly sacrifice ? I 
answer, sin. But for this, that love would sooner 
have ceased to be, than have made such a sacrifice. 

* Truth and Error, p. l^-l. 



THE CKUCIFIXIOi^" OF JESUS. 107 

It is also true that the justice of God demanded the 
sacrifice of Jesus. But why was this demand ever 
made by justice ? The answer is, because of sin. If 
this had not existed, justice must have become injus- 
tice before it could have permitted the death of Jesus. 
It is clear, then, that not only is sin the cause of 
Jesus' death, but that all the attributes of God would 
have combined to prevent that death but for this 
very sin. Now, keep this most important fact in 
view, and see if you can admit that even this sin 
has been predetermined of God. Mark this well, 
for if sin be not foreordained, then it is not true 
that whatsoever comes to pass is so. 

II. COXSIDER SOME OP THE MOST OBVIOUS OBJEC- 
TIONS THAT LIE AGAINST PREDESTINATED SIN IN 
CONNECTION WITH THE DEATH OF JeSUS. 

Every man must be conscious, on reflection, that 
there is something of an inexplicable nature in the 
idea of sin being foreordained of God. Even those 
that hold it, state it in such a way as to show that 
their minds are not at ease on the subject, and 
those who wish to adhere to it are generally most 
deeply grieved at its being drawn forth for consid- 
eration. 

1. The doctrine that sin is predestinated by 
God involves the idea that God Himself gave rise 
to the necessity for the death of His Son. Since 
it must be held that sin alone called for the death 
of Jesus, if it is held also that this sin is the result 
of God's decree, then it inevitably follows that God 
Himself decreed the only cause in the universe for 



108 PKEDESTINATION AND 

the death of His Son. In " the glorious gospel of 
the blessed God " we are taught that " God so loved 
the world that He gave His Son ; " but how does 
this look, if we are told that, liad He not foreor- 
dained shi, that gift would never have been needed 
b}^ the world? Where is the love, in first causing 
t;ie calamity, and then providing a i-emedy for it? 
Oh, my hearer ! you may be one of those who, by 
their countenance and support in various forms, 
hold up before the world the doctrine, that even 
sin is foreordained, — if you are, let me most solemn- 
ly warn you of the fearful consequences of being 
called to account for this support. By holding 
forth to the world this fearful error, you are de- 
priving the love of God of all its glory, and men 
of all the benefit to be found for them in that won- 
drous love. 

2. The doctrine of predestinated sin involves 
the idea that God gave up Jesus to destroy tohat He 
Himself has decreed. The object of Jesus is said 
to have been, " to destroy the works of the devil." 
The doctrine before us would make it appear that 
He came to destroy that which Pie Himself had 
foreordained. Surely nothing can be plainer than 
that if He foreordained sin — if He decreed it to be 
as it is — and came to die to destroy it — His death 
was endured to destroy His own decreed object. 
How can we escape from this but by denying that sin 
is decreed at all ? How can we deny that sin is de- 
creed, but by also renouncing the doctrine we have 
been taught from our infancy, that God hath " fore- 
ordained whatsoever comes to pass?" Especially 
must we renounce the doctrine that the wicked 



THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS. 109 

deeds of the murderers of Jesus were decreed of 
God. Were we to admit this, what would we make 
of the parable of the husbandmen, in which the 
murder of Jesus is shown to be the most fearful 
of crimes ? Only read the following' verses, and 
try if you can conceive of a secret decree ordaining 
that the liusbandmen sliouki kill the son of the lord 
of the vineyard : — " Then began He to speak to the 
people this parable : A certain man planted a vine- 
yard, and let it forth to husbandmen, and went into 
a far country for a long time. And at the season 
he sent a servant to the husbandmen, that they 
should give him of the fruit of the vineyardbj^ but 
the husbandmen beat him, and sent him away 
empty. And again he sent another servant : and 
they beat liim also, cind entreated him shamefully, 
and sent him away empty. And again he sent a 
third ; and they wounded him also, and cast him 
out. Then said the lord of the vineyard. What 
shall I do ? I will send my beloved son : it may be 
they will reverence him when they see him. But 
when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned 
among themselves, saying. This is the heir ; come, 
let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours. 
So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed 
him. What, therefore, shall the lord of the vine- 
yard do unto them ? He shall come and destroy 
these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to 
others. And when they lieard it, they said, God 
forbid." Luke xx. 9-16. If the lord of that vine- 
yard secretly decreed the wickedness of these men, 
and so arranged that they should certainly bring 
about the murder of his son — if all that sin was the 

10 



110 PREDESTINATION AND 

fulfillment of his prearranged plans — on what con- 
ceivable principle can you vindicate the course pur- 
sued in their destruction ? But you will now be 
prepared to urge the explanation of the text before 
us. 



III. What, then, is the meaning of this 

MOST IMPORTANT VERSE ? 



I have dwelt on the objections that lie against 
the too common view entertained of the passage, in 
order that the honestly inquiring mind may thirst 
for tke right view. There are too many disposed 
just to take any view that may be presented to 
them, if it only come from high authority, and be 
stated with sufficient confidence. I have shown 
that it is impossible to hold that the wielded deeds 
of the murderers of Jesus were foreordained of 
God, and at the same time hold to His love and 
justice as displayed in the gift of Jesus. This 
should dispose men to seek a better view. 

1. The whole JBible teaches iis that sin came into 
this world in defiance of God. If we carefully 
study every expression of God in regard to sin, we 
shall see that He regards it as the accursed intru- 
sion, of responsible and guilty creatures, upon His 
holy plans. It is indeed out of the question to pre- 
tend to prove the sincerity of His threatenings 
ao-ainst it but on this oriound. 

2. A reniedu was required for the case of the 
guilty. An atonement was required for sin, or there 
could be no forgiveness. The heart of God was 
set upon men. He hated infinitely their sin, but He 



THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS. Ill 

infinitely loved their souls. This unbounded love 
needed the atonement — it required a ransom, that 
it might deliver from going down to the pit. The 
ransom must be a victim worthy and able to die as 
an acceptable substitute for gailty men. One being 
in the universe, and one alone, could be accepted, 
and that was the Son of God. "God so loved the 
world that He gave His Son." That He might des- 
troy sin, He did not consider the sacrifice too great, 
nor did He grudge the cost in His love to man. 
His best gift was surrendered to be a curse for us 
all, that we might be delivered from sin. 

3. We are told, in another passage of the Acts 
of the Apostles^ what Jehovah decreed. His decree 
was not kept a secret (chap. iii. 18), "But those 
things which God before had showed by the mouths 
of all His prophets, that Christ should suffer., He 
hath so fulfilled." This teaches us that the decree 
of Jehovah was the decree that Jesus should suffer 
— not that man should be so wicked as to murder 
Him. Any one may distinguish, surely, between 
God decreeing the sufferings of Jesus and His de- 
creeing the sins of men. It is clearly stated here, 
that it was the sifferings and not the sins that was 
declared beforehand. O ! there is infinite love in 
the real decree — that even if sin existed, and 
could not be forgiven but through the sufferings of 
His beloved Son, He should decree the accursed 
death of Jesus for man. "Herein is love;" but 
dark is the picture, indeed, when we hear, that the 
SIN for which this death was suffered, was decreed. 
Blessed be the God of the Bible, He has not dark- 
ened the glorious truth. Mark, my hearer, that 



112 PREDESTINATION AND 

God's declared decree was not that men should be 
wicked, but that Jesus should suffer for that wick- 
edness which men had brought in upon the holy 
plans and purposes of Jehovah. 

4. God foresaw the loickedness of the Jews and 
Romans at the thne of the death of Jesus. We 
have already beeii able to distinguish between fore- 
seeinoj and fore-fixino^. It is not difficult to do so. 
We see most clearly that God foreJcneio and fore- 
told the state of mind in which the murderers of 
Jesus would be at this particular time. He fore- 
saw the treatment that Jesus would receive if sur- 
rendered into their hands. No one can doubt this. 
No one can feel any difficulty with this truth. Ad- 
mitting that God not only sees all that will take 
place, but also all that might take place on other con- 
ditions, we perceive clearly that all along He knew, 
that if the holy Jesus was delivered into the hands 
of these men, He would suffer the most fearful death 
they could possibly inflict upon Him. Now, ob- 
serve, God had determined that Jesus should suffer 
— He had declared this determination from the day 
on which man sinned ; and He foresaw that the 
wickedness of man would be so great, that were 
Jesus delivered into their hands, the very sacrifice 
required Avould be made. All this is infinitely re- 
moved tVom the idea that God foreordained sin. 
Perfect light is not more opposite to perfect dark- 
ness, than these ideas are opposite to each other; 
and the word of God carries us fully out in the af- 
firmation of the one and the denial of the other. 

5. The decree as to how Jesus should suffer^ and 
as to the part Jehovah should bear in the scenes 



THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS. 113 

of Calvery, are dearly stated in another ^'X-^^sage 
of this same hooJc. Acts ii. 23 : — " Him being de- 
livered by the detenninate counsel and foreknowl- 
edge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands 
have criTcified and slain." jSTow, mark the force of 
tliat text. What is the decree of God declared to 
be ? The surrender of Jesus into wicked 
HANDS. God had determined by His hand and His 
counsel, that Jesus should suffer death for the sins 
of men. He foresaw that, if surrendered into the 
hands of the wicked, He would suffer that death ; 
and He determined to surrender Him. I appeal to 
the conscience of every hearer, if this is not the 
truth taught in these passages. In the name of that 
God who has been slandered by the imputation of 
decreeing wicked deeds, I challenge mankind to 
show that these passages say more than that He de- 
termined that Jesus should suffer and be crucified ; 
and foreseeing that He should suffer if surrendered 
to the hands of men, He determined so to surrender 
Him. It may be thought that I speak strongly— it 
may be, too strongly. Let it be remembered that it 
is declared, that unless we ^^ exjylai?i aioay " these 
texts, we must admit the predestination of sin. 
This is declared by men that are boun-d, by all the 
ties that can oblige humanity, to labor for the vin- 
dication of God. O ! then, my hearer, let me 
beseech you to study these three passages, and do 
your utmost, and see if you can find the predestina- 
tion of sin in them. 

6. Ijet us notice particularly the force of the 
passage principally mentioned. Herod and the rest 
were gathered together to do whatsoever God had 
10* 



114 PPwEDESTINATION AND 

determined by His hand and counsel to be done. 
Is not the natural question — what had He deter- 
mined to be done ? And is not the scriptural an- 
swer, that He had determined that Christ should suf- 
fer? And liow did He determine that this should be 
done ? Tiie answer of the Bible again is, He de- 
termined that Jesus should suffer by being deliver- 
ed into the hands of wicked men. Here, again, all 
is clear. Let us suppose that a man is met and sur- 
rounded by robbers, who demand his money or his 
life. Let us suppose that, in order to save his life, 
he surrenders his pi'operty ; is he to be looked upon 
as the cause of the necessity that came upon him; 
or if he say that he determined to deliver his money 
into the hands of the robbers, is this to be under- 
stood as if he had determined the whole matter of 
the robbery? Oi-, if he, having foreseen the rob- 
bery, determined to take advantage of it for some 
great and good purpose, and declared his determin- 
ation to do so, Avould it be fair to construe this into 
a determination of the wicked act of robbery itself, 
and of all that is done with the money after? No 
more can it be just (because God foresaw the wick- 
edness of the murderers of Jesus, and declared His 
determination to deliver Him into their hands, and 
thus to accomplish the needed sacrifice and atone- 
ment) to say that He decreed that wickedness, in 
the exercise of which Jesus was slain. 

In concluding our consideration of these passages, 
and of the foreordination of the death of Jesus, let 
us mark the simplicity and glory of the ways of 
God, when the doctrine of universal foreordination 
is rejected. He forms a holy host of free and im- 



THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS. 115 

mortal beings. He makes every arrangement con- 
sistent with tlie natures that He has thus formed, to 
lead them on in purity and love. A portion of 
these creatui-es disobey and willfully trample on the 
divine and holy plan of God. They are punished 
according to law. Another portion of His holy 
creation are led to sin, and also to trample upon the 
holy and infinitely benevolent designs of the Lord. 
He sees it possible, by making a sacrifice, the most 
costly the universe can furnish, to ransom them 
from the righteous sentence of outraged justice. 
He sees that this sacrifice can be made by simply 
delivering up the precious victim to the hands of 
the wicked, for whom He is to die ; and He deter- 
mines to do this — to make this surrender. Hence, 
the " power " of Pilate. Jesus is delivered into the 
hands of ready murderers. This surrender is God's 
determination carried out. O ! my hearer, can you 
not see the wisdom and love of your God in this ? 
Immense, surely, is the difference between this 
view of Him, and that which is given when He is 
represented as foreordaining the sin for which Christ 
died. Let me earnestly beseech you to look upon 
your God as represented by Himself, and all your 
darkness will be banished before the rich glory of 
His most consistent ways. Be assured that you will 
be most abundantly rewarded for every hour of 
eainest and prayerful study that you devote to the 
character of your God. Let not your precious op- 
portunities pass without the most faithful and dili- 
gent improvement. Dig into the mine of divine 
truth, guided by the leadings of the Spirit of God ; 
as you take first the simplest and plainest of His 



116 PREDESTINATION AND THE CRUCIFIXION. 

lessons — go forward and you will Und that " God is 
light, and in Him is no darkness at all." You will 
find that His decrees, even the most secret of them, 
are all such as to inspire your soul with confidence 
— to humble it under a sense of its own nothingness 
and sinfulness, and to open and expand the affec- 
tions of the immortal spirit, till they embrace Jeho- 
vah, and all created beings, with deep, and earnest, 
and Christ-like love. 






LECTURE YII. 

PREDESTINATION AND GOD'S PURPOSE IN JESUS. 

The passage to which I request your attention in 
this lecture is found in Paul's second epistle to Tim- 
othy, ch. i: 9 : — "Who hath saved us, and called 
us with an holy calling, not according to our works, 
but according to His own purpose and grace, which 
was given us, in Christ Jesus, before the world be- 
gan." This is a passage of great interest, inasmuch 
as, in its connection, it shows the universal bearing 
of the purpose of God in regard to Jesus. I shall 
not enter into all the subjects presented to the mind 
in the passage, but principally confine your atten- 
tion to the purpose and grace said to be given, in 
Christ Jesus, before the world began. The consid- 
eration of this will afford a blessed opportunity of 
studying the glorious gospel in one of its aspects 
of universal love. 

I. What purpose and grace are here spo- 
ken OF ? 

The answer to this question forms the key to the 
full underst^ding of the whole passage. We can 
not, therefore, feel too grateful for the kindness of 
our God, seeing that He has made it an open pur- 
pose, and that from the time when He gave it ; and 
also, that He has given us, in this connection, the 



118 PREDESTINATION AND 

most clear indication of the nature of the purpose 
to which He refers. 

1. Observe that the purpose and grace here al- 
luded to are no longer secret. The apostle says that 
they were given at a former time, but he also says 
that now they are ^^ manifest ^'' v. 10 — " Bat is now 
MADE MANIFEST." Such is the plain declaration of 
Paul regarding this purpose and grace. You see, 
then, that these can no longer be regarded as secret^ 
and that to understand this passage as referring to 
a secret purpose, is clearly to misunderstand this 
portion of God's word. We are shut up, then, to 
the conclusion, that, whatever this purpose and 
grace may be, they can not now be secret. That 
which is " made manifest " can not be secret. Mark 
this, my hearer, as it is most important to our see- 
ing the full riches of this blessed passage, in con- 
trast with the contracted view given of it by most 
of ordinary commentators. They will have it to be 
God's secret decree of certain men to life, and this 
as carried out in the salvation of some, while others 
are left to perish. This we see it can not be, and 
we shall see it yet much more fully from this same 
passage. 

2. Observe that the purpose and grace here spo- 
ken of are not made manifest by the conversion of 
men. That this purpose is made manifest by con- 
version is a too common idea. As an objection to 
what I have already said, it may be urged that it is 
true the purpose was no longer a secret, so far as 
Paul and Timothy were concerned ; for it was made 
manifest in their conversion. By their holy lives it 
was made manifest, that God had eternally decreed 




GOD'S PURPOSE IN JESITS. 119 

their salvation. Now, mark, that Paul had no idea 
of this kind before his raind ; for, instead of saying 
that the purpose was made manifest by their con- 
version, he declares that it was made manifest before 
either of them had shown any signs of conversion. 
It, was " made manifest by the appearing of our 
Lord Jesus Christ." Tliis is Paul's declaration. 
Now, what was Paul and what was Timothy when 
Jesus appeared ? Was it 'manifest then that they 
were the elect of God ? Every one knows that 
the very opposite was manifest. They were then 
" the children of wrath, even as others." How 
clearly, then, does it appear, that those are wrong 
who suppose that the purpose here spoken of is 
that of election ! The fact that learned men should 
soberly pen such a gross mistake of the meaning of 
the passage, shows the crying necessity that exists 
for those who have immortal souls to save, thinking 
for themselves. What, then, we still ask, was the 
purpose and grace given in Christ Jesus before the 
world began ? I humbly trust that my hearei^ is 
now satisfied that these can not be the purpose and 
grace of God's determination to call certain per- 
sons from among men. What are we to under- 
stand, then, by the phrase, the " jDurpose and grace 
given ? " 

3, Observe that the " purpose " and its actual 
accoinplishment must agree. The purpose is the 
purpose of that which is now accomplished ; and 
hence both are the same thing viewed in diffei-ent 
stages. What, then, was it, the accomplishment 
of which made manifest, in this case, the purpose 
of God ? If a man has a purpose in his mind, and 



120 



PREDESTINATION AND 



keeps It a secret until the accomplishment of its 
purpose makes it evident what that purpose was, 
we at once declare the purpose to have been his 
det elimination to do that lohich he has done. Now, 
befoi-e us we have a case exactly similar. God's 
purpose, it is true, was not secret, but it was ob- 
scure to many minds, until it was made manifest by 
the doing of that which He had purposed. What, 
tlien, was accomplished ? Jesus appeared — He abol- 
ished death — He brought life and immortality to 
light, through the gospel of His death and resur- 
rection. ( See verse 10.) This was the work done, 
and this, the apostle declares, made the purpose 
manifest. Is it not clear, then, that the purpose 
was God's purpose, to send Jesus that He might 
abolish death, and bring life and immortality to 
light, through the gospel ? Yes, my hearer, this is 
the purpose^ and this is the grace here spoken oi- — 
Jehovah's most gracious purpose to send Jesus to 
destroy death, and bring life and immortality to 
light before the eyes of men, by the gospel. Can 
you not see something infinitely more glorious in 
this, than in the ideas that have been grafted on the 
passage — the ideas of God selecting, secretly and 
partially, afew from among men, and making man- 
ifest His partial purpose by picking them out from 
the crowd! O ! what a contrast between the pur- 
pose made manifest by the gracious appearing of 
Jesus Ciirist, and that made manifest in such a doc- 
trine. There is all the difference between them 
that there is between a decree invented by man and 
ascribed to God — and God's infinite heart and mind 
of all-embracino: love. His decree was to give His 



GOD'S PURPOSE IN JESUS. 121 

Son to die for the world, that whosoever believeth 
in Him might not perisli, but have everlasting Hfe. 
4. There can he no doubt^ then^ that the pur- 
Ijose here spoken of^ is GocVs purpose of the atone^ 
ment of Jesus. Tiiis was most unquestionably that 
whicii was manifest by the appearing and victorious 
death of Jesus. It is indeed impossible for any man 
to imagine any other meaning that the passage can 
have, if he read it in connection : " His own pur- 
pose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus 
before the world began, but is now made manifest 
by the appearing of Jesus Christ." How can you 
understand these wor(]s ? To what purpose can 
they possibly refer? On what conceivable principle 
of ^;)e?*yer5Jo?i. can you make them apply to a pur- 
pose that, even suppose it had existed as you imag- 
ine, could not possibly be made manifest by the ap- 
pearing of Jesus? And yet men will hold that 
this is God's puri)Ose of converting certain individ- 
uals of the human race ! Let them hold it, if they 
are resolved to do so at all hazards. My hearer, 
turn you to the book of God, and read for your- 
self; and then, even in the verse before you, you 
will see what God's purpose is. It is the determin- 
ation that Jesus should appear and abolish death. 
How did He abolish the death of the soul, that 
stood as a dark and dreadful sentence between your 
soul and God ? I answer — for God answers — by 
dying that death in your stead. He abolished the 
sentence, that stood demanding execution in the 
eternal ruin of your soul, by becoming a curse for 
you. He took upon Him part of the flesh and 
blood, " that through death He might destroy him 
11 



122 PREDESTINATION AND 

that had the power of death, that is the devil, and 
deliver them who, through fear of death, were all 
their lifetime subject to bondage." How plain is 
the word of God ! How can you mistake the true 
nature of the purpose made manifest by the appear- 
ing of Jesus? O! see how diffierent it is from 
the purpose which it has often been supposed to be ! 

5. Obseo've that the purpose here spoken of was 
" GIVEN before the times of the ages?"* This is the 
literal rendering of the apostle's words — "Before 
the times of the ages," that is, before the dispensa- 
tions, or at the commencement of the history of 
the world. In order to see the time alluded to, at- 
tend first to the fact that the purpose was "given." 
Now, on what principle can we understand a secret 
purpose as a purpose given to men ? When one 
man gives a purpose to another, does he not state 
his determination ? How else can he be said to 
give his neighbor his purpose ? The whole idea, 
therefore, of a secret purpose, vanishes fi-om this 
portion of the Bible. It is a given purpose, and a 
given purpose can not be a secret one. 

In order to the full confirmation of this truth, and 
also to the understanding of the phrase, " the times 
of the ages," it is only necessary to look to the 
Epistle of Titus, ch. i. ver. 2. There the apostle is 
referring to the same object to which he is direct- 
ing the mind of Timothy in the passage now before 
us, and he says, — "In hope of eternal life, which 
God, that can not lie, promised before the world 
began," or, " before the times of the ages." And 
he adds, — " but hath in due time manifested His 
word through preaching which is committed to 



GOD'S PUEPOSE IN JESUS. 123 

me," etc. Now, the " purpose and grace " that are 
spoken of to Timothy, are here set before us as 
pro7nised hef ore "the times of the ages;" and, if 
we ask, avhen was life in Jesus ijrornised to men, 
we can not go back into eternity for the answer. 
All idea of eternity, and secret decrees, are thus 
dismissed from the subject. A promise given, is a 
purpose given, or revealed ; and the promise here 
referred to, as fulfilled by the appearing of Jesus, 
was a grace indeed, and a grace promised to men. 
The same subject is spoken of in Romans xvi. 25. 
There it is said to have been " kept secret " since, 
or rather "^?^" the times of the ages. The words 
of the apostle bear, that the proclamation was silent^ 
that is, when compared with what it was to be in 
gospel days. The whole df these allusions of the 
apostle to " the times of the ages," show us, that 
he looks to the time when the purpose of God to 
abolish death, by the death of His Son, was given 
to mankind in the promise of Jehovah. This leads 
us at once back to the time when this purpose of 
the atonement of Jesus was given, at the commence- 
ment of the dispensations in the garden of Eden, 
when God said that the seed of the woman should 
bruise the head of the ser^^ent. This was God's 
purpose, and it was His grace too, and it. was such 
given to men ; and, though not proclaimed as fully 
as in gospel days, yet it was no longer kept any se- 
cret in His own breast. See, then, my hearer, how 
clearly the Scriptures expound themselves, when 
you are prepared to take their own exposition, and 
how gloriously they cast off, as with almighty ener- 
gy, the load of predestination and partial purposes, 



124 PEEDESTINATION AND 

by which they have been burdened by man. They 
lead you to God in Christ, as giving forth His great 
design, so that, by resting upon it in prospect, man 
might be saved, and show you the accomplishment 
of His purpose, as the still more clear manifestation 
of His design that man may be called to rest upon 
the finished work of Jesus, purposed and promised 
before the times of the ages, but now made mani- 
fest by the victorious death of that precious Sa- 
viour. O ! rejoice that you have such a leader as 
the Lamb of God. Trust to His teachings as thus 
placed before you, and you will be made " wise un- 
to salvation." 

IT. Let us now consider the bearing of this 

PURPOSE AND GRACE UPON MEN UNIVERSALLY. 

It is not my intention to enter upon the subject 
of the '"'' calV here spoken of, and regarded by 
many as an " effectual call," which God purposed 
from all eternity to give to a certain number of 
men. It is clear, from what we have already seen, 
that this call is according to the atonement of Jesus, 
and not an eternal and partial choice, taking some 
and leaving others ; and this call, if understood as 
an invitation^ must be God's invitation to His love, 
given on the ground of Jesus' death. The great 
truth now before us, is the extent of " the purpose 
and grace " here spoken of. To whom were they 
given " before the times of the ages ? " Were they 
given to some men or to all? 

1. The purpose as first given^ embraced^ from 
its very nature^ all men. The declaration, on 



god's purpose in jestjs. 125 

God's part, that it was His purpose to destroy, or 
to bruise, the head of the tempter, embraced all 
men. It can not possibly be regarded as of less 
extent, without absurdity ; for how could the head 
be bruised for one, and yet remain whole for anoth- 
er? Satan, by the sin of man, had gained a deadly 
power over them, for he had brought down upon 
them tlie force of divine justice itself; and, if this 
deadly power was to be taken from him, it could 
not be so for one, without being so for all. It is 
most clear, then, that no man was excluded from 
that m(^st gracious purpose given to men " before 
the times of the ages." It was the magna charta 
— the great and gracious title-deed of the whole 
guilty and condemned race of man, given to- all. 
O ! it is like the heart of Him who gave it. My 
hearer, your name is in that blessed deed — you 
were an object of that mighty grace. Yes, you 
may not b(?lieve it, — you may not regard it, — you 
may " neglect so great salvation," — you may count 
the pui-pose and its accomplishment a trifle and a 
dream — tliat does not alter the purpose, or change 
the nature, or contract the wide embrace of its glo- 
rious accomplishment. It remains the same. It 
'was Jehovah's purpose to make a full atomement 
for all men. He has accomplished that purpose, 
and thus has broken the deadly power of their 
guilt, and made them fi-ee to His eternal love. 

2. The predictions that revived in men'' s minds 
the purpose and grace given t/iem^ have the same 
extensive bearing. "All we like sheep liave gone 
astray— we have turned every one unto his own 
way, and the Lord hath laid upon Him the iniquity 
11* 



126 PREDESTINATION AND 

of as all." Is. liii. G. This was tlie purpose burst- 
ing forth, as it were, into maturity before the time. 
It was the anticipation of its manifestation, in tlie 
spirit of liveliest prophecy. How beautifully it ac- 
cords with the purpose and grace given at first ! 
There is no narrowing of the wide embrace of the 
love and perfection of the atonement : — ^" The ini- 
quities of us ALL." Oh, my heaier ! do you not see 
your part in this most blessed purpose ? Do you 
not see how, by laying your iniquities upon Jesus, 
the Lord has so effectually removed them from you, 
that you are as welcome to His love as if you had 
never sinned? This is the purpose unto which it 
was the delight of Paul to turn the dying eyes of 
men — it was the accomplishment of this purpose 
that constituted the theme of that gospel which he 
rejoiced to preach at the I'isk of life itself. Why 
shoultl you turn your mind away from so glorious 
an object ? Why, especially, should you have it 
supplanted by that horrid idea of men divided by 
a fearful decree, and fixed, one part to life and an- 
other to eternal death ? 

3. The announcement of the appearing of Jesus 
has the same universal hearing. " Behold," said 
the angel that announced His birth, " I bring you 
good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all peo- 
ple." The tidings were concerning the manifesta- 
tion of God's "purpose and grace" spoken of in the 
passage before us. " Unto you is born a Saviour." 
These were the tidings. They were glad tidings to 
ALL PEOPLE. They were tidings of the accom})lish- 
ment so far of the purposes of God. He had now 
become the seed of the woman, and was prepared 



god's purpose in JESUS. 127 

to go forward as tlie sacrifice to bruise the head of 
the serpent. Are you not, then, my hearer, among 
the " ALL PEOPLE ? " Surely, this includes you. So, 
then, does the purpose and grace of your God. 
And thus we see that it always did include you, 
inasniucli as it always was the purpose of your God 
to make full atonement for you. 

4. John the BapUsVs ever-memorable sentence 
has the same force. "" Behold the Lamb of God 
bearing the sins of the world ! " This was a still 
more mature manifestation of the " purpose and 
grace given us in Christ Jesus before the times of 
the ages." See, then, the blessed fullness of that 
purpose. See, especially, my hearer, how it em- 
braces you, — " The sins of the world." Are not 
you a part of " the world ?" Your sins, then, were 
borne by Jesus. Oh, it is impossible you can think 
too earnestly or deeply on that truth. It is like a 
mine of inexhaustible wealth, the riches of which 
are "righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy 
Ghost." The more you dig the more you will be 
enriched by these precious blessings. Instead of 
the purpose being such that the less you study it 
the better, it is such that the soul will live upon it 
for evermore. 

5. I loill dose this chain of evidence^ lohich 
might he much extended^ hy stating the accomplish- 
ment of Jehovah'' s purpose in the words of Paul. 
" There is one God and one Mediator between God 
and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself 
a RANSOM FOR ALL." Surcly, this shows sufficiently 
that the purpose is no limited one. The ransom is 
given, and that for all men. The difference between 



128 PREDESTINATION AND GOD'S PURPOSE. 

this doctrine of the Spirit of God, and that which 
teaches that tlie purpose and grace are Hmited to a 
few, is sufficiently manifest. Here, then, we liave 
a truth that can uoi 2yermit tlie doctrine of a limit- 
ed and contracted purpose to live with it in the 
same intelligent faith. You must reject either the 
one or the other ; and surely it is not difficult to 
choose between them. It is choosing between the 
barren notion of a contracted theology and the sac- 
rifice of Jesus for the world's sins. Would you, 
then, my hearer, be " called according to the pur- 
pose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus 
before the world began," you see now how you 
must be called. You must be so according to the 
atonement of Jesus. You must become the child 
of God through faith in the Saviour's perfect pro- 
pitiation. It was thus that Paul and Timothy were 
called, and thus alone can any man approach the 
Lord of Hosts. "Not according to our works" — 
were we to ask Him to accept of us according to 
these, our acceptance must be rejection — but ac- 
cording to the atonement of our Lord and Saviour, 
the guiltiest are welcome to take their place in the 
family of God, and, looking up in confidence and 
love, to cry, " Abba ! Father ! " Now is your 
time, my hearer, if not yet saved and accepted, to 
be so according to the work of your Redeemer.. 



LECTUKE VIII. 

PKEDESTINATIOIS' AND THE WICKEDNESS OF M^IN. 

The passage which I wish to introduce to your 
mind, under this head, is Prov. xvi. 4. In our au- 
thorized translation it stands thus: — "The Lord 
made all things for Himself, yea, even the wicked 
for the day of evil." As will be seen by the fol- 
lowing quotation, ah'eady noticed, this passage is 
supposed to teach the foreordination of the sin and 
the- doom of the reprobate, with great certainty: — 
" Observe, all things being at God's disposal, and. 
the decision of life and death beh)nging to Him, 
He orders all things by His counsel and decree in 
such a manner, that some men are born from the 
womb to certain death, tiiat His name may be glo- 
rified in their destruction." * Such, then, is the 
meaning attached to the word of God, which it is 
now our duty to consider. The language of tlie 
expositor is plain enough, and strong enough. He 
is not one who wishes to have His words misunder- 
stood, or who is afraid of His own doctrine. Lot 
ua, then, ask if this is a true exposition of the pas- 
sage in question. 

I. COXSIDEE THE CONNECTION IN WHICH THIS 
TEXT OCCUES. 

You are aware, my hearer, that the intention of 
* Calvin's Inst,, book iii. chap, xxiii. 



130 PREDESTINATION AND 

a writer is to be known especially by the current of 
thought found in all that he says on a particular top- 
ic ; and although this text occurs in a list of " prov- 
erbs," it has a remarkable connection, both with 
what goes before and with what follows it. 

1. Mark the verse that goes before: "Commit 
thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be 
established." We shall see how appropriately the 
verse we have more especially in hand is immedi- 
ately to follow this. When is it that a man has 
greatest need of committing his works unto the 
Lord ? Is it not when he is surrounded by the 
wicked ? Often times the child of God is so beset, 
by the cunning and malice of the ungodly, that he 
sees no way of escaping from the snare in whjch, 
to all appearance, he is fatally involved. The enemy 
of his soul seems to have completed a victory over 
him; and he stands as if at his wit's end. Here is 
the time when he requires the exhortation to com- 
mit his works to the Lord, Avith the assurance that 
his thoughts shall be established. As an example, 
we may take the case of a man against whom an 
injurious report has been circulated. It may be, 
that the lie has been so artfully constructed that it 
has gained extensive credit ; and he has no evidence 
whatever to prove to others that it is false. For a 
time, " the wicked " seem to have triumphed, and 
even the powej- and wisdom of God seem to have 
been overreached. Then, in these trying circum- 
stances, the man of uprightness is told to commit 
" his works unto the Lord," with the assurance that 
his " thoughts shall be established." So much, 
then, for the exhortation that precedes this passage. 



THE AVICKEDXESS OF MEN. 131 

2. Observe the verse that goes immediately af- 
ter the one chiefly before us. " Every one that is 
proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord ; 
though hand join in hand he shall not be unpunish- 
ed." There are two leadhig truths in this verse — 
the wicked pride of man is an abomination to Je- 
hovah. How, then, we may well ask, could He de- 
cree and foreordain that which is an abomination to 
His own mind ? The doctrine we are opposing is 
fraught with this absurdity, that God Himself de- 
creed the very things that are an abomination to 
Him. Oh, surpassing folly! Unaccountable wis- 
dom and learning! The wisdom and learning that 
make men believe that God Himself has foreordain- 
ed those things that are loathsome to His spirit, now 
that they have come to pass! But the passage also 
brings in the idea of the certainty of punishment 
for those who, after all, are only fulfilling the de- 
crees of God ! Mark, my hearer, the connection. 
The man who is beset by the wicked, and apparently 
overpowered by them, is not only told that he is 
to commit his works unto the Lord that his thoughts 
may be established, but he is told that those who 
appear to have the victory are an abomination to 
Jehovah, and will be assuredly punished. This is 
to the purpose. This is fitted to uphold him who 
has been surrounded and overpowered by a wicked 
enemy. But there is more light still, I have shown 
you the previous verse, and also the following one 
— there is a needful link between them. The man 
may be apt to say, or to think if he do not say, 
that the wicked have risen above God. It is to 
meet this thouo^ht that the words of Wisdom are 



132 PKEDESTINATIOX AND 

used regarding the wicked. It is to remove this 
temptation that the passage in hand is provided. 

II. Consider, then, the iheaning of the vekse 

MORE ESPECIALLY BEFORE US. 

Ill order to see this clearly it may be as well to 
point out some things which it does not say, as well 
as some that it does. 

1. It does not say that God made men wicked. 
Unless this were the declaration in the text, it is of 
no use to prove the predestination of sin. It is an 
undoubted truth that God made men who make 
themselves wicked — God made these men that are 
now wicked just as He made those who are now 
righteous. But, surely, it is the most unjustifiable 
perversion of words to say, that because the Scrip- 
tures declare that God made wicked men — men 
who 'are now wicked, that the Bible traces the fact 
of their wickedness to God. The Bible does as- 
cribe their creation to Him who is the Creator of 
all, but never can trace their wickedness to Him 
who is most holy. Mark, then, my hearer, that this 
text does not say that God made men wicked, but 
that He made those who are wicked men of their 
own choice. It is easy to make the distinction be- 
tween the simple truth andean atrocious error. 
'' Jehovah made the wicked." They are in His 
hand and under His control. 

2. The 2^cissage before us does not say that God 
made the lolched for the day of evil. It is only 
the translators who say this ; and they do so* be- 
cause their minds were previously imbued with the 



THE WICKEDNESS OF MEN. 133 

idea that God had created some men for destruc- 
tion. " The day of evil " is properly the day of 
ruin, or of destruction. It is that awful day on 
which the wicked shall find all their opportunities 
of change gone, and their doom fixed. To ascribe 
to God the creation of men for this day is most 
fearful. As if He looked forward from eternity 
and decreed the scenes of that dreadful time, and 
(thnt these might not foil to come) created millions 
of souls for the very purpose, that they might serve 
as fuel for the fire of wrath at that dire season ! 
Again I say, the text teaches no such idea as it 
stands in the original Scriptures. The particle 
translated "/or," and which, in the text before us, 
makes the idea appear of God making pien/or evil, 
or for ruin, means properly* '•'' until. ^'* For this 
rendering we have not only the highest authority, 
as may be seen from the note below, but also clear 
instances from the Scriptures themselves. From 
them it appears clearly that the particle thus used 
directs attention to the period previous to, and un- 
til the time specified. Amos iv. V : " When there 
were yet three months to (or until or previous to) 
harvest." Here the use of the particle in question 
is quite clear and decisive. We have another sim- 
ilar instancje in Deut. xvi. 4 : " Remain until morn- 
ing." Here the particle is translated by the word 
*' until." So tar, then, as we have gone the truth 
is clear. The Lord made all things — He made even 
the wicked — and He made the wi(5ked so that they 
occupy a certain position previous to and until the 

* Gesenius says of this prepositioa, " 5. Spoken of time, it 
denotes N the point of time to or until which something is done." 

12 



134 PREDESTINATION AND 

day of destruction. We shall see the force and im- 
portance of His saying " until the day of destruc- 
tion " afterward. Our first duty is to see what po- 
sition the wicked occupy until that day. 

3. Let us now ascertain the meaning of the 
words translated '"''for IFimselfP This we will do 
most satisfactorily by looking to those instances in 
which the same phrase occurs which is here so trans- 
lated. The examination conducted on this principle 
will not be tedious, as the word to be understood 
occurs in only seven other instances in the Bible. 
In every one of these it is rendered differently from 
the way in which it is here given. This is remark- 
able ; but our object is to find its true meaning. 
Job xxxii. 3^: " They found no answer. ^^ The word 
here rendered "a?i52^er," is that which occurs in 
the verse before us, and which is not given in the 
translation at all. It occurs between the two par- 
ticles rendered " for himself." It evidently means, 
in Job, that which was expected to be spoken^ or 
the words which were expected to be heard. The 
same is its meaning in the 5th verse of the same 
chapter : " When Elihu saw that there was no an- 
swer^^'' — when he perceived that nothing was said. 
Here, again, the word clearly means something 
that is spoken. Prov. xv. 1 : " A soft answer turn- 
elh away wrath." Here, again, the Avord clearly 
signifies that which is spoken. In the same chapter, 
verse 23, it is said, " A man has joy by the answer 
of his mouth." Here, again, it must clearly mean 
the things that are spoken. Then, in Prov. xvi. 1 
it occurs, " The preparations of the heart in man, 
and tlie aiisioer of the tonirue is from the Lord." 



THE WICKEDNESS OF MEN. 135 

Clearly, here again, the word signifies that which is 
spoken by the tongue. Prov. xxix. 19: "Though 
he understand he will not answer.'''' Here, again, 
the word signifies that which is spoken : and the 
clearest instance to our purpose comes last in order. 
Micah iii. 7 : " Then shall the seers be ashamed, 
and the diviners confounded; yea, they shall all 
cover their lips ; fi^r there is no ansioer of Q-od." 
Here the word clearly signifies the spoken word^ or 
oracle of God. Now, take the only remaining in- 
stance in w^hich the word occurs, and translate it 
according to this, its now evident meaning, and 
how will it stand ? — " The Lord hath made all 
things according to His oracle-— yea, even the wick- 
ed until the day of destruction." Such is, unques- 
tionably, the meaning of the Spirit of God ; and, 
instead of sending us away to a hidden decree, that 
we may satisfy ourselves with mysterious ignorance 
as our consolation, it bids us to look to the word 
of God and see His ways, and take that courage 
with which every part of that word aims to inspire 
the children of Jehovah. 

We are now prepared to see the reason why the 
sacred writer says " ^<n^^7," or " previous to the day 
of destruction." The grand difficulty of the mind, 
in regard to the wicked, does not respect that posi- 
tion at or after that final day, but prenious to it. 
It is during this period of trial that they often seem 
to occupy a position inconsistent with the suprema- 
cy of justice in the universe. We are, therefore, 
informed, that even now the position they occupy, 
pj-evious to that day, is described by the oracle of 
God, and the description is such, as to remove all 



130 PREDESTINATION AND 

fear from him who attends to it, as to the power of 
the wicked. The Psalmist teaches us the value of 
tliis truth. Ps. Ixxiii. 12-17: "Behold, these are 
the ungodly who prosper in the world, they in- 
crease in riches. Verily, I have cleansed my heart 
in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. For 
all the day long have I been plagued, and chasten- 
ed every morning. If I say, I will speak thus : be- 
hold, I should oifend against the generation of thy 
children. When I thought to know this, it was too 
painful for me. Until I went into the sanctuary of 
God ; then understood I their end." Here you are 
told what his temptation was, and how he was 
freed from its p(?wer. He thought, at first, that it 
was in -vain to be righteous, for the wicked were 
the prosperous. But he went into the sanctuary, 
and there consulting the word of the Lord, he saw 
how the wicked had been made and situated by 
their Creator, and his mind was at rest. The tempta- 
tion of the Psalmist has been that of millions. Not 
one who has consulted the word of God as to the 
real nature of Jehovah's works, even in His crea- 
tion of the wicked, have failed to have the tempta- 
tion at once deprived of its power. They Iiave been 
made to see by that word that, even previous to the 
day of final trial, the position of the wicked, from 
tlie nature which God gave them, and the laws un- 
der which He lias placed them by their creation, is 
in clear and perfect accordance with both justice 
and love. Observe, then, my hearer, if your mind 
is stumbled by the state of the wicked among men, 
as their state now appears to your mind previous to 
the day of their final reckoning, your full relief is 



THE WICKEDNESS OF ^rEX. 187 

found where the Psahnist found his mind set at rest 
— that is, in the oracles of God. Tliere you will 
see Jehovah cleared from every possible idea that 
would cast a dark shade over His glory, by making 
Him appear either as the originator, or as the favor- 
er of iniquity. You will see there the supremacy 
of truth and righteousness in His great universe — 
yea, even in the state of the wicked as they now 
exist on the earth. This shows us fully the mean- 
ing of the verse before us, and prepares our way 
for the application of the truth contained in it. 
We shall, therefore, endeavor to follow out sorae- 
-vvhat the principles to which we are directed by this 
passage. 

III. Let us now see how God has made all 

THINGS, YEA EVEN THE WICKED. 

The text with which we are especially concerned, 
tells us that God has made all things according to 
His word — not according to any secret decree, but 
according to His mind revealed in His testimony to 
those He inspired to speak to mankind. 

1. ^Ve are informed in the word of God^ that 
lie made all things " very good.''"' His work of 
creation was such, that His own holy eye rested 
upon it with infinite delight. It is unnecessary to 
dwell upon this in our present connection. 

2. We are informed by the Bihle^ that " the 
Jjord made man upright.'''' This is the revei-se of 
His making man wicked. It is like the glorious 
heart and hand of the self-existent One to make a 



12^ 



138 PREDESTINATION AND 

m 

pure and lioly being, such as man was when he 
sprung from the liand of his Creator. 

3. We are farther informed hy the JBihle^ that 
God made man in His oicn image. Jehovah cre- 
ated tiu' immortal spirit of man, so that the crea- 
ture sliould bear the likeness of the Creator. One 
chief feature of Jehovah's character is His liberty 
— His will, which just signifies His freedom — His 
ti'ue liberty. Man was made, then, with this free- 
dom, as real, though in a limited degree, as that of 
God Himself. This is most distinctly implied in the 
Sciipture fact, that Jehovah made man to exercise 
dominion over the other creatures. Where there 
is no real will or power oi originating action, there 
can be no real dominion, any more than there can 
be any likeness to the moral image of God in a 
machine driven by some physical power. Freedom, 
indeed, is essential to the idea of holiness itself. It 
is in this perfect, though limited liberty of will, that 
we see the greatness of the love of God in the cre- 
ation of man. It is the basis, indeed, of all that 
raises the glory of the creation of man above that 
of the creation of an inferior creature. It is the 
highest or essential attribute of man to be free, as 
it is essential to every other thing in which he can 
be said to bear the likeness of God. It is in this, 
too, that Jehovah is vindicated from all share in 
the sins of men. He made us so that we ourselves 
are capable of being the first causes of our actions. 
His so making us was essential to the design of His 
love to make us like Himself; but in making us 
ca})able of being the first causes of our own con- 
duct, He necessarily made us capable of causing 



THE WICKEDNESS OF MEN. 139 

that which is wrong — of being wicked. The crim- 
inaUty of sin consists in its being an abuse of tlie 
highest gift that God couhi bestow in our creation. 
The capabiHty of free hoUness is used in every sin, 
to create a curse instead of a blessing. Thus, ac- 
cording to the word of God, He made man, and, 
consequently, every wicked man free. Tiiis, how- 
ever, would be no consolation to him who requires 
to commit his works to the Lord that his thoughts 
may be established, flirther than as it frees, in his 
mind, Jehovah from all share in the causing of the 
wickedness. It is so far a blessed thought — a 
heart-relieving thought, to those who have been 
taught to think that God predestinated even the 
wickedness of the wicked. It is the lifting of an 
immense burden from the soul, to see that Jehovah 
created man for holiness and in uprightness, though 
they have themselves " sought out many inven- 
tions." Still, even under this thought, the mind is 
not fully satisfied ; there is a felt want of something 
more. AYe can not be at ease, even though we see 
that God has no part, directly or indirectly, in the 
wickedness by which we may be injured and op- 
pressed. We must feel that, free as man is, and 
clear as God is, from all share in his sin, there is an 
omnipotent control limiting the extent of his free- 
dom, so that it shall not pass beyond certain bounds. 
4. We are., then., informed hy the Bible., that 
Jehovah created 'man under His own control. Pie 
gave him a law, with a penalty that marked the 
boundary of his liberty. He thus surrounded him 
with the circle of his own omnipotence, so that, 
while perfectly free within that circle, he could not 



140 ' PEEDESTINATION AND 

possibly pass beyond it. While Jehovah made 
man like Himself, He did not ( according to the 
word) set him above Himself, or beyond His own 
Almighty reach. This was impossible; and the or- 
acles of God most clearly show us the subordina- 
tion of the really free creature to the supreme Cre- 
ator. All the statements of the book of God bring 
out both these ideas, that man is truly free, and 
that his range is limited by the supreme control of 
his great Creator. But even this is not all ; this 
does not fill up the desires of the heart of the op- 
pressed, as they anxiously inquire how Jehovah has 
made the wicked. 

5. The Bible informs us, therefore, that '•''all 
things are made to work together for good to 
those that love God;''^ and that even ^^ the icrath 
of man'''' is made '"''to praise Him.'''' This is the 
truth that leads a man to commit his works to the 
Lord. It is the fact, that not one wicked deed will 
be permitted by the great Creator, beyond the line 
within which they are all overiuled for good. "The 
remainder" of wrath Jehovah restrains. The glory 
of God is seen in this, that while He has created 
man capable of free action — capable of doing wrong 
as well as right. He has so created him that he shall 
do no more wrong than He can turn to good ac 
couiit. Especially is this the case in regard to the 
wrong which one man does to another — the oppres- 
sor to the oppressed. Man may, and does eternally 
ruin himself^ but he can not do that which it is be- 
yond the skill and power of God to make a bless- 
ing in the end to those who may suffer from it 
severely now. We might bring out many other 



THE WICKEDNESS OP MEN". 141 

points of truth from the " oracle " of God regard- 
ing His creation of all things, even of the wicked 
nntil the final day. ' This is manifestly the truth in 
hand in the verse before us ; and to this, therefore, 
I direct all your attention. 

In conclusion, tlien, and in order to illustrate this 
point more fully, let us su[)pose the sovereign of a 
free and happy country. Let us suppose that a 
band of subjects of that sovereign became traitors. 
Is this for his honor ? Were it supposed that he 
secretly decreed this treason, in order that he might 
have an opportunity of condemning it, and execut- 
ing the men who liad become guilty, would not ev- 
erlasting infamy cleave to his name ? But suppose 
that he has no such decree, and that his most secret 
heart is set upon the good of all his subjects. These 
traitors introduce their iniquity purely of their own 
accord, and against every feeling and design of the 
sovereign. Suppose that he is so wise and so 
mighty, that he is perfectly able to bring a vast 
amount of good out of this evil : this is truly glori- 
fying to him. Such is the case with God : He has 
created all things — all men, — those who are wicked, 
as well as those who are righteous, with a view to 
the universal good ; and so that, even those who dis- 
honor Him, and bring in treason into the universe, 
shall not go beyond Him, but shall be made, in de- 
fiance of their uncaused transgression and malice, 
to contribute individually to the great aim — '''' untr 
the day of destruction." This is the very truth re- 
quired by those who are called upon to commit 
their works to the Lord, with the assurance that 
their thoughts shall be established. Oh ! my hear- 



142 PREDESTINATION AND MEN'S WICKEDNESS. 

er, it may be that you have been surrounded by the 
wicked — you may be in difficulty because of the 
oppressor — you may be surrounded as by a wall of 
iron by the efforts of malice — you may be ready to 
feel as if the wicked had outdone Jehovah — it may 
be impossible for you to see how you can have con- 
fidence, seeing the guilty triumph. Here, then, is 
your rest — even the wicked are so formed, that 
they are within the circle drawn by Him whose 
heart is love. Peacefully commit your course to 
Him : be assured that He will bring your feet out 
of the net. The worst men that ever lived have 
only been created capable of a limited degree of 
wrong; and He who made them — gave them their 
freedom, and at the same time assigned them their 
limits — has them fully under His control ; so that, 
out of all their evil He can still evolve the good. 
Know this truth fully — view it in the light of the 
glory of God as it shines in the face of Jesus, and 
you will be glad in the Lord, with exceeding joy. 



LECTUKE IX 



PREDESTINATION AND THE STUMBLING OF MEN. 

The text to which I now turn your attention is 
1 Peter, ii. 8, where Jesus is said to to be " a stone 
of stumbling, and rock of offense, ev6n to them 
which stumble at the word, being disobedient; 
whereunto also they loere appointed.'''' The doctrine 
of reprobation is supposed to be very distinctly 
taught in this passage. One of the mildest and 
best of authors has the following comment on the 
words: "'Whereunto, also, they w^ere appointed.' 
This, the apostle adds," he says, " for the further 
satisfaction of believers on this point, how it is that 
so many reject Christ and stumble at Him; telling 
them plainly, that the secret purpose of God is ac- 
complished in this : God having determined to glo- 
rify His justice on impenitent sinners, as He shows 
His mercy in them that believe." It is not without 
some reason that this honest writer immediately 
adds, — "Here it were easier to lead you into a 
deep, than to lead you forth again." * His idea is, 
that their stumbling at the word is the result of 
God's appointment. Let us, then, consider whether 
this is truth or error. 

* Leighton on Peter's Epistles. 



144 PREDESTINATION AND 

I. Consider some objections that may be 

URGED against THIS IDEA OF THE PASSAGE. 

By a cnlm consideration of these, the mind ma}'' 
be led more earnestly to inquire into the real mean- 
ing of the text. 

1. To suppose that this '•'' stumhlmg ^"^ was the 
accomplishment of God's appointment^ is contrary 
to the approval of faith ^ and the condemnation of 
imbelief on the part of the Apostle. lie is des- 
cribing, in one part of his epistle, the judgment or 
dreadful calainit}^ that was coming on the g^enera- 
tion in which he lived ; and he says, — " For the 
time is come that judgment must begin at the 
house of God ; and, if it first begin at us, what 
shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel 
of God?'''' Now, were the idea before us correct, 
the disobedient are as truly accomplishing the will 
— the real loill of God as the righteous ; and no 
man can help getting into a " deep^^'' if he hold that 
the wicked are to be punished for that which God 
both willed and appointed. He will get into a 
deep, from which he will not only be miabie to lead 
others forth, but from which he will not soon come 
forth hihiself. The exposition that so involves even 
the expositor, should be most suspiciously canvass- 
ed. Every man of common sense will thbik ere he 
accept it. 

2. The idea of the " stumbling " being appoint- 
ed of God is contrary to all God^s expressions in 
regard to sin. His true character is given in these 
words, — "Thou art of purer eyes than to behold 
evil, and canst not look upon sin." But stumbling 



THE STUMBLING OF MEN. 145 

at the word is the most deadly of all sins ; and the 
doctrine before us is, that He could not only look 
upon it, but that lie could see in it the accomplish- 
ment of His own secret purpose ! There is depth 
and height here, but it is the depth of error and 
the height of folly. We can not but feel convinc- 
ed that there must be something sadly wrong with 
an exposition that represents the ^worst of sins as 
the accomplishment of the secret purpose of a sin- 
hating God. My hearer, are you fully satisfied in 
your mind that Jewish rejection of the gospel — 
the vilest of all sins, was actually the accomplish- 
ment of the purpose of Him who *' ca;^ not look 
upon sin f " Are you not constrained to think 
there must be error here? 

3. The idea before us is directly opposed to the 
Bihle doctrine^ that sin is not an honor^ hut a dis- 
honor to God. " Through breaking the law dis- 
honorest thou God." This is Paul's doctrine. 
And while it is true that God vindicates His char- 
acter in punishing sin, it is not true that sin or un- 
belief contributes to His honor as an appointment 
of His. All the honor that could be conceived of 
as arising from His punishment of sin, would be 
extinguished the moment it is admitted that He is 
only punishing that which He had appointed Him- 
self This, then, is another most serious and fatal 
objection to the exposition now under our consid- 
eration. Sin can only be seen to honor God in the 
infinite opposition with which He regards it. 

4. THe most fatal objection., hoioever., is that 
such an exposition is entirely uncalled for., even 
by the very exceptionable translation of the t^xt 



146 FEEDESTINATION AND 

given in our cofnmon version. There is no reason 
why the word " appointed " should apply to the 
" stumbling " or to the " disobedience," rather than 
to " the word." The Jews were appointed to hear 
the word of God : and if a man were not under 
the influence of very strong prejudice indeed, he 
would see that they were appointed to the word, 
and never would he dream that they were appoint- 
ed to stumble and disobey ! Before any one can 
be justified in deriving such a fearful doctrine from 
the word of God, the doctrine must be there ; but 
before even such exposition can be palliated, it must 
be shown that the expositor is shut up to the idea. 
All that is needed to show, that instead of the 
stumbling of the Jews being of God's appointment, 
it was against His appointment, is to direct the 
" appointed " to " the word," instead of referring 
it to the sin. 

It will not be a matter of wonder, then, if, on 
these grounds, the exposition before us be totally 
rejected. O ! let the hearer rejoice that it can be 
rejected ; for of all the calamities that could fall upon 
the universe, this would be the most dreadful — to 
have a God who could secretly appoint the stum- 
bling and disobedience of men, and then punish 
them for carrying out His own decree. We shall 
see, and that from this A^ery passage, how gloriously 
different is the character and secret heart of Jeho- 
vah. 

IT. Let us now consider the bible truth 

THAT IS TAUGHT IN THIS PASSAGE. 

It is a blessed thing not only to remove the er. 



THE STUMBLING OF MEN. 147 

ror, but also to evolve the truth — not only to pull 
down, but also to build up. 

1. What is "the word" here spoken of? 
There is very great importance in this question. It 
is important, not only from the striking light in 
which it sets the whole subject, but also from the 
striking manner in which the answer is found in 
this epistle itself. In the first chapter, fjom the 
23d to the 25th verse, we have this striking de- 
scription of this word : " Being born again, not of 
corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the woed 
of God, which liveth and abideth forever. For all 
flesh is grass, and all. the glory of man as the flower 
of grass : the grass wdthereth, and the flower there- 
of falleth away ; but the word of the Lqrd en- 
dureth forever. And this is the avord which, by 
the gospel, is preached unto you." Here there can 
be no room for doubt as to what the word is at 
Avhich the disobedient stumbled. It was the gospel 
— the very gospel by which the believers had been 
born again — the glad tidings that Jesus had died 
for their sins. They stumbled at this ! Most aston- 
ishing and most guilty stumbling ! The greatest 
revelation of love the universe ever saw— the most 
perfect display of excellence that created intelli- 
gence could be called to contemplate — this was 
their stumbling-stone and rock of ofiense ! No 
crime could be greater — no depth of base ingrati- 
tude and malignity could be more fearful ; and how 
is it possible for the soul of man to entertain the 
thought, that this base and most abominable ma- 
lignity was appointed of God ? Only think of the 
love and loveliness of Jesus, — only remember that 



148 PREDESTINATION AND 

the light of the glory of God shone in His face, — 
only remember that this same Jesus was " an of- 
fense " to these men ; and then hear that this was 
the accomplishment of the secret appointment of 
God! But we must proceed. 

2. Consider the nature of the " stumbling " spo- 
ken of here. The word " stumbling " is apt to 
convey to our minds the idea of something blind, 
and deaf, and stupid, rather than something loiched. 
It is much more clearly rendered, — " who are of- 
fended by the word." The word was an offense — 
a hated object, — that at which they were ready to 
put on an expression of malignant contempt when 
it was preached to them. The idea is not that of a 
man stumbling over some object that lies in his way 
in the dark, but that of being offended and irrita- 
ted — enraged at an object which is obtruded on the 
notice of him who is offended. Such is the sin 
which, it is supposed, was a secret appointment of 
God. Alas ! poor humanity ! how fearful must be 
that darkness that permits the entrance of such a 
thought ! How far astray the ideas of God that 
can ever permit it to have a place among them ! 

3. Consider further the expressed cause of 
their stmnhling., or taking offense. The words of 
Peter are as follows : — " These being xinpersuaded 
[or rather, if I may use the word, unpersuadable^^ 
take offense," etc. The disobedience is that of the 
unbeliever who has a plain, simple, and glorious 
truth, with most powerful evidence, pressed upon 
his mind by the Spirit of God, and remains still 
unpersuaded. He is unpersuadable. This was the 
real case of the unbelieving Jews, and also of the 



THE STUMBLING OF MEN. 149 

Gentiles, who took offense at the word of the gos- 
pel of Jesus. The apostles had to turn from them, 
because they put the word of G-od away from their 
minds, and would not be persuaded. Tiiey always 
resisted the Spirit of God. This state of mind was 
tlie cause, the free, voluntary cause of their stum- 
bling, or taking offense at the gospel. Surely, if 
there is one state of mind more detestable to God 
than another, it is that in which all the motives con- 
tained in the love^ and tears^ and blood of Jesus, 
are urged upon a man by the Spirit, and yet he re- 
mains unmoved. And yet we are taught to be- 
lieve that this state of mind is appointed of God ! 
No, my hearer, we reject the imputation, and would 
not for ten thousand worlds harbor the suspicion 
that is so ruinous to enlightened confidence in Je- 
hovah. 

4. Consider the nature of the appointment that 
is mentioned in the text before us. The word which 
is translated " appointed," here, never has the mean- 
ing of a secret fore-appointment of anything. Its 
literal meaning is that oi placing or setting an ob- 
ject in a particular situation, and it refers to the 
actual placing, never to the intention or determina- 
tion to place. The verse ought, therefore, to be 
rendered thus: — "These being unpersuadable, take " 
offense at the word into which even they were 
placed." The idea is perfectly clear,— they were 
placed by God in the very midst of gospel light. 
It shone around them; it enveloped them in an at- 
mosphere of truth and love ; and, just because they 
were placed in the very midst of the rays of the 
Sun of Righteousness, they were irritated to a 

13* 



150 PREDESTINATION AND 

deadly degree at that very light. Here, then, we 
see, that instead of appointing them to take offense, 
Jehovah placed them in the best conceivable posi- 
tion for seeing His true character, and being His 
children for ever. O ! how wide the contrast be- 
tween these two doctrines!' God secretly deter- 
mining that these men should hate the truth, that 
He might "glorify" His justice in their punish- 
ment ; and God taking inveterate rebels and placing 
them in the very center of the beams of His con- 
centrated glory of justice and love, that they might 
be saved ! To which of these, my hearer, does 
your heart turn, as to the God of its choice ? 
Surely, there is no great difficulty in deciding. If 
you think that I draw too dark a picture of the doc- 
trine I am now opposing, then read it in the words 
of its own advocates — read it in the words which 
I have already quoted. Bring these side by side 
with the text now under consideration, and make 
your choice. But, above all, remember that this 
subject comes home to your own case. Ybii are 
placed in the Word as were the Jews and Gentiles 
of old. The love and justice of your God have 
been presented to you, as they appear in the wounds 
and agonies of a crucified Jesus. You know how 
you have felt to this object. You know if you 
have rather wished to think seldom of Him, and 
have indulged the tendencies that lead the soul to 
dwell upon any object in preference to Jesus. O ! 
let me, in deep earnest, beseech you to turn to 
Him. Let Him be your chief study — your great 
delight. Believe Him to be what He is, and He 
will be " precious " to your soul. O ! let that spirit 



THE STUMBLING OF MEN. 151 

which God has ransomed, by the oifering of His 
Son, be not only tilled with the riches of His grace ; 
but let it be the means of promoting widely the en- 
joyment of these by your fellow-men, who all 
aromid you are perishing for lack of knowledge. 



LECTUEEX. 

PREDESTINATION AND THE INFATUATION OF THE 
EEPEOBATE. 

There are a considerable number of passages in 
which it is supposed that God teaches the doctrine 
of His blinding and stupefying men. These are 
chiefly, however, quotations, or allusions, belonging 
to that text found in Isaiah vi. 9-12; and we shall 
consider the greater part of them in this lecture, 
under that passage of the prophet. It is as follows, 
— " And He said, Go and tell this people. Hear ye 
indeed, but understand not ; and see ye indeed, but 
perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, 
and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes ; lest 
they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, 
and understand with their heart, and convert, and 
be healed. Then said I, Lord, how long? And 
He said. Until the city be wasted without inhabit- 
ant, and the houses without man, and the land be 
utterly desolate, and the Lord have removed men 
far away, and there be a great forsaking in the 
midst of the land." Such is the translation given 
of the words of Jehovah to the " evangelical 
prophet ; " and the utmost use has been made of 
these to deepen, if possible, the darkest shades of 
the doctrine of reprobation. The great Calvin 
speaks of them as follows :^" But the mission of 
Isaiah furnishes a still stronger confirmation ; for 



THE INFATUATION OF THE REPROBATE. 153 

this is his mission from the Lord, — ' Go and tell this 
people, Hear ye indeed,' " etc. " Observe," says 
Calvin, "Redirects His voice to them, but it is 
that they may become more deaf; He kindles a 
light, but it is that they may be made more blind ; 
He publishes His doctrine, but it is that they may 
be more besotted ; He applies a remedy, but it is 
that they may not be healed." Tiiis is a part of 
the proof of a statement given a little before, where 
he says, — *' It is a fact, not to be doubted, that God 
sends His word to many, whose blindless He deter- 
mines shall be increased." Such, then, is the mel- 
ancholy picture of Jehovah's character, which is 
derived from this passage of His word ; and, surely, 
no duty can be much more binding upon us, than 
to search most diligently the foundations of such a 
doctrine, lest we be found guilty of libeling our 
great Creator, by misunderstanding and misinter- 
preting His word. In order that this search may 
be felt to be deeply needful, I shall first state some 
of the difficulties that lie in the way of our receiv- 
ing this doctrine of Calvin. 

I. Consider some manifest objections that 

LIE AGAINST THE DOCTRINE NOW STATED. 

The mind will appreciate the right interpretation 
of the passage, in proportion as it realizes the real 
nature of that doctrine which is given in the w^ords 
of Calvin. 

1. The doctrine in question is contrary to Bible 
views of GocVs hatred of sin. The blindness, 
which is said to be increased by the determination 



154 s PEEDESTINATION AND 

of God, is sinful blindness. So is the stupidity 
and obduracy of heart said to be increased by the 
same determination. These are not only sin, but, 
as we have already said of taking offense at the 
word, sin of the deepest dye — confessedly the 
fruitful parent of all other sin. Now, seeing that 
Jehovah is a God " of purer eyes than to behold 
evil, and that He can not look upon sin," is it not 
something strange, and fearfully contradictory, 
when we are told that He sends a prophet to a peo- 
ple for the very purpose of increasing that sin which 
He so much abhors ? My hearer, have you no dif- 
ficulty in believing, first, that God's infinite mind is 
filled with loathing toward iniquity, and then be- 
lieving that He appoints and sends a prophet for 
the sole purpose of increasing that which consti- 
tutes the root and perfection of all wickedness? 
Do you find no need of an interpretation of the 
book of God, that shall be more consistent with 
itself? Would it not be better to say, " I do not 
understand it," than to understand thus ? These 
questions must go home to the heart of every re- 
flecting man, who feels sufficiently the value of the 
character of God. 

2. The doctrine in question is co7itrary to every 
scriptural idea of the striving of the Spirit of God. 
Let us see what truth Stephen teaches on this sub- 
ject. Acts vii. 51, 52, — "Ye stiff-necked and un- 
circumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist 
the Holy Ghost : as your fathers did, so do ye. 
AVhich of the prophets have not your fathers per- 
secuted ? and they have slain them which showed 
before of the coming of the Just One ; of whom 



THE INFATUATION OF THE REPROBATE. 155 

ye have now been the betrayers and murderers." 
Here we see the true position of the Spirit of God 
and His prophets ; and, likewise, that of the invet- 
erate depravity of the Jews. That depravity is on 
one side — God is on the other. The wicked hard- 
ness of men is urging one way ; God, by His proph- 
ets, is striving to turn this accursed tide. This is 
the true position of God, and of tlie bhndness and 
obduracy of men. How, then, does this agree with 
the doctrine that God sent His prophet, and deter- 
mined that by his mission the obduracy and besot- 
ted stupidity of the Jews should be increased ? Is 
it possible, my hearer, for you to believe that God 
can at the same time be striving to turn the current 
of wickedness, and also determining that it shall 
run with still greater force ? Can He send a proph- 
et whose mission shall be both to strive to stay the 
course of sin, and, at the same time, and with the 
same people, to increase the force of iniquity ? 
Now, you must either believe that the Spirit, of 
God strives against sin, and yet determines its in- 
crease, or you must have some other exposition of 
this text than that which is given by Calvin. That 
exposition is not only a libel on God, but it bears 
absurdity on its very forehead. No wonder, when 
such things are to be credited, that men hold that 
we are unable to believe without supernatural aid ! 
But where is the aid to come from, by which we 
are to believe that God strives against sin and for 
sin at the same time, and with the same persons ? 

3. Tlie doctrine before us ascribes the worh of 
the devil to God. Hear Paul's account of the work 
of Satan. 2 Cor. iv. 3, 4, — " But if our gospel be 



156 PREDESTINATION AND 

hid, it is hid to them that are lost : in whom the 
god of this world hath blinded the minds of them 
which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gos- 
pel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine 
unto them." Here, then, most clearly, is the work 
of Satan. It is to blind the minds of unbelievers, 
lest they should see the gospel. But this is the 
very work ascribe'd to God by the doctrine before 
us! Are we, then, to understand that God and Sa- 
tan have the same work, and that both are deter- 
mined to increase the blindness and hardness of the 
eternally reprobated sinner ? Is not the statement 
of such a monstrous absurdity sufficient for its re- 
jection, by every sober mind ? Observe, then, if 
you do reject it, you must also reject the transla- 
tion of the verse in hand, and with it the exposition 
of the verse which we have quoted : and you must 
also reject the whole of the doctrine, in every phase 
of it, that represents it as tlie will and pleasure of 
God, that sin should be either increased or contin- 
ued. We have thus stated our objections to the 
doctrine which is founded upon the translation be- 
fore us, and these objections will be seen to lie in 
all their force against the translation itself We 
must not, however, fail to mark other objections 
that lie against the translation^ and that would be 
sufiicient to prove it erroneous, even were there no 
false doctrine involved. 

II. Consider, then, some objections that lie 

AGAINST the TRANSLATION BEFORE US, SIMPLY CON- 
SIDERED AS A TRANSLATION. 

All that has yet been said, can not warrant us to 



THE INFATUATION OF THE REPROBATE. 157 

reject the translation in question. The objections 
considered, do warrant us in suspecting the render- 
ing, but not in rejecting it. Let us be glad, then, 
tliat the God of Providence has taken care that we 
should not want full and convincing evidence that 
the words of the prophet, and of God, have been 
fearfully misrepresented. 

1. The ORIGINAL Hebrew^ itself, does not re- 
quire the translation given. The Hebrew of the 
Bible, was originally written without the points gen- 
erally known as " the vowel points." These are 
small signs, written either above or below the line 
of the original language, intended to guide in the 
pronunciation of the words, and though not affect- 
ing the sense in many cases, they do materially af- 
fect it in others. Take these points away, and the 
language of the prophet is capable of two render- 
ings — either an imperative, or an indicative render- 
ing. Their simple meaning, rendered in the indica- 
tive mood, instead of the imperative (and read lit- 
erally), is, " Hear ye to hear, and ye shall not un- 
derstand ; and see ye to see, and ye shall not per- 
ceive. This people have made fat their heart — and 
they have made heavy their ears — and they have 
covered their eyes — that they might not see with 
their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand 
with their heart, and turn, and be cured." Such is 
the plain and most obvious translation of Isaiah's 
words. So far as the bare words of the prophet 
are concerned, we are left to choose between these 
two renderings, the imperative or the indicative, 
and the connection is more than sufficient to deter- 
mine which we should take. You see, then, the 
14 



158 PREDESTINATION AND 

true position of the p'assage, as it came from the 
hand of the prophet. There is no such fearful doc- 
trine as that we are considering at all contained in 
it, when it is allowed to speak in its connection, 
without the aid of the points, which are but a hu- 
man invention, and that of a date many centuries 
later than the words of the prophet.* But this 
does not by any means exhaust the objections to 
the translation before us. It is not only given in 
the face of the doctrinal objections noticed, and 
that, when the words of the prophet require no 
such translation, but we shall see that it is given in 
the face of far higher than human authority. 

2. What is generally called the Septuagint ver- 
sion^ is against the translation before us. Although 
great weight is not to be attached to the Septua- 
gint in some parts, we shall yet see that the greatest 
weight is to be given to it in this. It is a transla- 
tion of a date at least three centuries earlier than 
that of the "points," which give the meaning, now 
under consideration, to the words of the prophet. 
Had these " points " been in use, and recognized as 
of any authority, we can not conceive of the trans- 
lator of Isaiah into Greek, as giving the rendering 
that has been given. I mention this fact, in order 
to show the hearer the very slender character upon 
which Calvin rests that most fearful doctrine we 
have quoted. The jDrophet's own words do not re- 

* G-esenius says: — "Of the date of this invention (of the 
points) we have no account; but a comparison of historical 
facts warrants the conclusion, that -the vowel system was not 
completed till after the seventh century of the Christian era." — 
Ste Heb. Gram. p. 14. 



THE INFATUATION OF THE REPKOBATE. 159 

quire it; and the earliest translation, which we 
know to have been made of them, rejects it, and 
ascribes to the people themselves, that which Cal- 
vin ascribes to God. We are just advancing to the 
point at which we shall see that the most hateful 
libel has been cast upon the character of God, as if 
on his own authority, when all the authority exist- 
ing for it, is that of the blundering men who set the 
points to the Hebrew letters about two hundred 
and eighty years after the time that Jesus was upon 
the earth. 

3. The Saviour Himself quotes the words of 
Isaiah in a way that for ever sets aside the trans- 
lation before us. We have His words in Mathew's 
gospel, xiii. 14, 15 : — "And in them is fulfilled the 
prophecy of Esaias, which saith. By hearing ye 
shall hear, and shall not understand : and seeing ye 
shall see, and shall not perceive : for this people's 
heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of 
hearing, and their eyes they have closed ; lest at 
any time they should see w4th their eyes, and hear 
with their ears, and should understand with their 
heart, and should be converted, and I should heal 
them." The whole weight of the authority of Je- 
sus is, therefore, brought against the translation 
upon which the doctrine now before us rests. The 
Septuagint translation of Isaiah is not, in many 
things, to be depended on ; but as if to meet this 
most important deficiency in the testimony, the 
Lord of glory adds His own word of eternal truth 
to it, and thus confirms the translation of the Sep- 
tuagint. Well, then, my hearer, what are we to 
make of the rendering before us ? It deeply dis- 



160 PREDESTINATION AND 

honors God — it misleads the soul as to His true 
character — it represents Him as at one with Satan 
in blinding the minds of those who believe not — 
its slender authority is that of the men who "^:)c»i??.^- 
ef?" tlie prophet's language— and it is rejected by 
the translation of the Septuagint, and, what is infi- 
nitely more, by the Saviour Himself. What are 
we to make of the translation, and of the doctrine 
founded on it ? They perish at once before the 
majesty of truth, and of the God of truth ; and oh, 
how blessed is it to see them die together ! It is 
indeed like the clearing away of the dense thunder- 
cloud, and the shining forth of the morning sun. 

4. JBut toe have yet furthe/t^ antJiority against 
the men on lohose false gloss the translation in 
question depends. Paul quotes the Septuagint ver- 
sion of Isaiah, and thus coniirms it by the authority 
of his inspiration. Acts xxviii. 25-27, "And when 
they agreed not among themselves, they departed, 
after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake 
the Holy Ghost by Esaias, the prophet, unto our 
fathers, saying. Go unto this people, and say. Hear- 
ing ye shall hear, and shall not understand ; and 
seeing ye shall see, and not perceive : for the heart 
of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are 
dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed ; 
lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with 
their ears, and understand with their heart, and 
should be converted, and I should heal them." 
Here, once more, the blinding and hardening of the 
soul are ascribed to man himself, and not to God, or 
the prophet, as in the translation before us. Let 
the hearer, then, calmly consider this part of the 



THE INFATUATION OF THE REPROBATE. 161 

subject, and then try how much place tlie transla- 
tion before us can have in his mind. You may not 
be able to read the Hebrew words of Isaiah, or the 
Greek words of the Septuagint — you are able to 
read tlie quotations of them by Jesus and by Paul, 
and with these you are more than furnished for 
weigliing the rendering un^er consideration, and 
finding it fearfully wanting. 

5. Where, then, rests this said undoubted and 
not to he disputed fact, " that God sends Sis word 
to those whose blindness He determines shall be in- 
creased? " We answer, upon the slender and con- 
demned authority of those who pointed the He- 
brew language. Home, in his invaluable Introduc- 
tion to the Critical Study of the Scriptures, sets this 
auth.ority in the clearest light. He says, in a note 
on this text as quoted in Matt. xiii. 14, 15 : — "This 
quotation is taken almost verbatim from the Sep- 
tuagint In the Hebrew tlie sense is ob- 
scured by FALSE pointing. If, instead of reading 
it in the iuiperative mood, we read it in the indica- 
tive mood, the sense will be, ' ITe shall hear but not 
understand: and ye shall see but 7iot perceive. This 
people hath made their heart fat, and hath made 
their ears heavy, and shut their eyes,' etc., which 
agrees in sense with the Evangelist and with the 
Septuagint, as well as with the Syriao and Arabic 
versions, but not with the Latin Vulgate. We 
have the same quotation, word for word, in Acts 
xxviii. 26. Mark and Luke refer to the same proph- 
ecy, but quote it only in part." Home gives this 
as a quotation from Dr. Randolph, and thus sots 
the whole subject distinctly before us. Of the 
14* 



162 PREDESTINATION AND 

false points he says, in another place, when setting 
the arguments for and against their antiquity before 
the reader, " The weight of evidence, we appre- 
hend, will be found to determine against them." 
Such, then, is the slender, and, I should say, wretch- 
ed ground^ on which is rested one of the most fear- 
ful doctrines that ever^oUuted the mind of man, or 
hid the glories of the God of love. Such is the 
ground upon which Calvin declares this doctrine to 
be a fact not to be doubted ; for although he refers 
to several other instances, he holds this to be the 
strongest confirmation of this said "fact." My 
hearer, is it not time that we were thinking for our- 
selves in matters that affect our souls and the honor 
of our God ? And if we do think for^ ourselves at 
all, and take the undoubted word of God as the 
ground for our thoughts, must we not reject with 
abhorrence the doctrine in question, and seek, as 
God may enable us, to open the eyes of other men 
to its flimsy and most false character? May we 
not bless Him who has put it within our reach to 
s^udy the Bible for ourselves ? 

III. Consider now some of these passages 

THAT CONSIST OF QUOTATIONS OF THIS WHICH HAS 
BEEN CHIEFLY UNDER NOTICE IN THIS LECTURE. 

By the view which we are now enabled to take 
of the parent stem of the several partial quotations, 
or alhisions that occur in the New Testament con- 
nected with Isaiah vi. 9, 10, we shall be much more 
easily able to understand all the branches. We 
have already seen and considered that of the Sa- h 



THE INFATUATION OF THE REPROBATE. 163 

vioiir in Matthew xlii. 14, 15, and, therefore, need 
not return to it. Indeed, it is so clear, that it seems 
quite unnecessary to do any more than allow it to 
speak for itself. We shall also see the reason why 
Jesus made the quotation, in considering the same 
historical facts in other places. We have also con- 
sidered Paul's quotation of the words of the proph- 
et, and do not require to recur to that. He had 
done the utmost to lead them to accept of life ; and 
when all seemed hopeless, he warned them, in the 
words of their own Isaiah, and showed them the 
dangerous position which they occupied, as he 
turned with the gospel to the Gentiles. We shall, 
therefore, turn our minds to the other passages con- 
nected with the main subject before us. 

1. Let us look to the loords of Jesus as reborded 
in Luke viii. 10. "And He said, unto you it is 
given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of 
God, but to others in parables ; that seeing, they 
might not see, and hearing, they might not under- 
stand." This was the reason which Jesus gave His 
disciples for speaking to the general multitude in a 
parable. So far as it is a quotation of Isaiah, it is 
most important to mark that it is a quotation of the 
fact of their hearing without understanding, and 
not of the cause assigned for that fact. The Sa- 
viour declares that He spake to the multitude, and 
the result was, that hearing they did not under- 
stand ; but Luke does not give the history so fully 
as Matthew, and thus we have to recur to the state- 
ment in the former gospel for the full truth in that 
before us. Why, then, did Jesus require to speak 



164 PREDESTINATION AND 

"so that^'' * the great mass of His hearers did 
not understand ? Because they had made their 
hearts insensible^ and their ears heavy, and had shut 
their eyes detenninately against the light. They 
burned with thii'st for the blood of Jesus and of 
His disciples when He brought out the truth with- 
out any covering of parable. He took the best pos- 
sible method of instructing them so as to awaken 
their consciences without rousing their deadly pre- 
judice. He spake to them so that every right 
heart there would understand Him — so that those 
who took time and care to reflect on what He said 
would be moved and benefited, and yet the preju- 
dices of no one would be unnecessarily w^ounded.f 
But why did He require this great precaution ? — 
Because of the state in which the people kept their 
own minds. Take the two parts of the truth to- 
gether, and you will see that, instead of Jesus speak- 
ing icith the design of stupefying His hearers^ He 
was compelled to speak in the very way He adopt- 
ed, because they themselves had made their souls 
unfit for plainer teaching. They had so demonized 
their spirits that it had become unsafe to warn them 
of the danger of being unfruitful hearers in any- 
thing but the language of parable. Here, again, 
the love of Jesus shines forth with peculiar luster, 
and His character is cleared from the foul stain of 

* The particle rendered " ^Aa^" and appearing to mean " m 
order ihat,''^ does not necessarily mean so. It very frequently 
means "<yo that,''^ as well as "m order tliaty'' and ought to be so 
understood here. 

\ Barnes takes the same view. See his Notes on Matthew 
xiil 14, 15. 



THE INFATUATION OF THE EEPEOBATE. 165 

intending to keep the truth from His liearers. He 
is seen to be so desirous to teach them that He ven- 
tures, upon the peril of His Hfe, and that of all who 
adhere to Him, to teach them, when He can do 
it only in this distant way. Mark, too, my hearer, 
that these very men had the warning of Isaiah in 
their hands; and when they heard without under- 
standing, and saw without perceiving, they might 
have been alarmed at their own state of heart, and 
thus been turned from such a dreadful condition of 
soul. The warning of the prophet — its fulfillment 
in their experience, and the nature of the Saviour's 
teaching — all combined to fix their attention upon 
the fearful crime of which they were giiilty — all 
brought up before them the dread evil of having 
shut their eyes, and ears, and hearts against the 
truth of God. How different is all this from the 
monstrous notion that is expressed in the following 
words, — " Nor can it be disputed, that to such per- 
sons as God determines not to enlighten He deliv- 
ers His doctrine in enigmatical obscurity, that its 
only effect may be to increase their stupidity. For 
Christ testifies that He confined to His disciples the 
explanation of the parables in which He had ad- 
dressed the multitude." * On one hand is the raer^ 
ciful and tender-hearted Saviour, on the other a 
fearful idol of man's creation. Oh, my hearer ! well 
may we be glad, and rejoice, and give praise, that 
the God of the Bible is not the God who is set 
forth in the doctrines of universal predestination — 
well may we prize the Bible that enables us to re- 
ject that fearful misrepresentation of Jehovah. 
* Calvin's Inst, book iii. chap. xxiv. 



166 PEEDESTINATION AND 

2. Let us C07isicler the account given by John 
of cmother fulfillment of Isaiah, It is found in 
John xii. 37-^41 : — " But though He had done so 
many miracles before them, yet they believed not 
on Him : that the saying of Esaias, the prophet, 
might be fulfilled, which he spake. Lord, vv'ho hath 
believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of 
the Lord been revealed ? Therefore, they could 
not believe, because Esaias said again. He hath 
blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that 
they should not see with their eyes, nor understand 
with their heart, and be converted, and I should 
heal them. These things said Esaias, when he saw 
His glory, and spake of Him." Calvin says of this 
passage: "John, citing this prophecy (of Isaiah), 
declares that the Jews could not believe because 
this curse of God was upon them." This is predes- 
tination, rank and ripened to its utmost. Mark, 
then, my hearer, that John quotes a different por- 
tion of Isaiah's words from that recorded by Luke. 
John speaks of the reason why the Jews could not 
believe ; and gives the state of their hearts as that 
reason. Luke speaks of the effect which this state 
of heart had upon the Saviour's teaching. In both 
cases, however, it is the state of mind in which the 
Jews were that is said and seen to, be at the founda- 
tion of all the evil. In this case, the translation 
perverts the original. There is no word for " Ae" 
in the Greek, and we are left to learn from the 
words quoted elsewhere who blinded their eyes 
and hardened their heart. We are bound to say 
who this is from the passage of which this is a par- 
tial quotation, or rather of which this is the sub- 



THE INT'ATUATION OF THE EEPEOBATE. 167 

stance. In that, the agent blinding is not " he " or 
" Jesus," but " this peopU.'''' " They could not be- 
lieve, because, as Isaiah said, This people have blind- 
ed their eyes and hardened their hearts." Nothing 
is more melancholy than to see mistranslations that 
slander the Saviour. This is most surely one : and 
when you take it in its simple and manifest sense 
it leads you to the free choice of a wicked people, 
as the only reason why the prediction was fulfilled 
in their case, — " Who hath belived our report ? " 
Their unbelief was not because of Isaiah's prophecy, 
but it was the fact that, in their unbelief, that proph- 
ecy was verified. Here, again, Jehovah is cleared ; 
and the root and maintenance of iniquity are found 
in man alone. What a fearful idea that all the mir- 
acles of Jesus were wrought to harden one set of 
men and save another ! Here we see that infamous 
error completely set aside ; and we are warned 
against the fatal sin of shutting our eyes upon the 
truth. " To-day, if ye will hear His voce, harden 
not your hearts." This is all " lihe God^'''' and when 
Scripture is permitted thus to explain Scripture, it 
is like star to star in the firmament, adding their 
mutual rays, and swelling the general glory of the 
testimony of God. 

3. Let us, then, consider one of the most appa- 
rently difficult passages in that class now especially 
before us. Mark iv. 10-12 : — "And when He was 
alone, they that were about Him, with the twelve, 
asked of Him the parable. And He said unto 
them. Unto you it is given to know the mystery of 
the kingdom of God : but unto them that are with- 
out, all these things are done in parables. That 



108 PREDESTINATION AND 

seeing they may see, and not perceive ; and hear- 
ing they may hear and not understand ; lest at any 
time tliey sliould be converted, and their sins should 
be forgiven them." This, as it aj^pears at first 
siglit, is the strongest statement that could be con- 
ceived in favor of the doctrine that God blinds the 
minds of men. It also states that He does blind 
tliem, ^''lesf'' they should be converted and forgiv- 
en. It favors, nay appears to demonstrate the doc- 
trine, that His desire is to pre'oent the reprobate 
from enjoying His mercy. The light in which it 
sets the doctrine is only too strong. It forces us to 
suspect that something must be wrong in the man- 
ner in which it is stated, or in which the statement 
of it is understood. In order to understand it cor- 
rectly, two things must be especially kept in view, 
(l.) Mark is only giving the Saviour's words in 
part. This is most manifest when we compare his 
statement with that of Matthew. Mark is giving 
(as Luke and John do) simply the substance of what 
the Saviour said ; hence he leaves out the reason 
why those who were " without" did not Toiow and 
understand that which was stated to them in para- 
bles. The reason, as given by Matthew, was, that 
they had shut their eyes, and ears, and heart, lest 
they should be converted. There can not be any 
room to doubt that this reason was in the mind of 
Mark, as he wrote the verse ; but he considered the 
sentiment expi-essed fully enough without its formal 
statement. We shall see reason for this immedi- 
ately, but at present it is most important to make 
sure the fact that this reason must be supplied in 
order to Xhe right understanding of the words of 



THE INFATUATION OF THE REPROBATE. 169 

Jesus. There can be no doubt that Isaiah gave 
that reason, and laid the sin of their blindness at 
tlie door of the Jews themselves. There can be no 
doubt that Jesus quoted Isaiah on this occasion, and 
quoted this reason with the rest of the passage ; 
and as there can be no doubt that Mark intended 
to give the full meaning of Jesus' words, he must 
have considered the state of the heart of the Jews 
as implied in the words which he gave as in sub- 
stance those of Jesus. This leads us to understand 
the passage before us, with the implied addition of 
the reason of Jewish infatuation in it ; and we are 
brought to inquire on what principle Mark could 
regard it as implied. Implied it must have been ; 
the question arises, how could it be so, seeing no 
part of it is stated ? 

(2.) Mark must have regarded Jewish blindness 
as voluntary blindness. He could not but do this ; 
for he had heard Jesus say, that they had closed 
their eyes^ lest they should see and be turned. They 
were declared by Jesus to be willfully blind, and to 
be icilling their own blindness, lest He should suc- 
ceed in their conversion. This points out to us a 
most important matter in the passage under consid- 
eration, and one on which the right understanding 
of it greatly turns. That is, — to what does the 
" ^es^ " belong ? Is it that Jesus so taught them 
lest they should be converted and forgiven ; or, is 
it that THEY shut their eyes, and would not see, lest 
they should be converted and forgiven ? This is 
just the question : Was it Jesus or themselves that 
strove against their conversion? As the passage 
stands, at first sight, it would appear as if Jesus op- 
15 



170 PREDESTINATION AND 

posed their conversion ; but when you take into ac- 
count the truly voluntary nature of their blindness 
and obduracy, and the fact that they required, as it 
were, to squeeze their eyes together to keep out 
the light of truth, the passage represents them as 
blind lest they should be converted and forgiven. 
They would not, and did not see, lest they should 
be forgiven. Ko man, therefore, can use this pas- 
sage as a proof that Jesus sought to prevent the 
conversion of men, without setting one part of the 
Bible against another, and that without the slightest 
warrant. Because, when to take into account what 
was involved in their seeing without knowing, and 
hearing without understanding, viz., the will that 
refused to know and understand, this text speaks 
the very same truth as those do that give a more 
full statement of the occurrence which is here only 
partially recorded. 

We have thus fully considered this most impor- 
tant subject of the blinding and stupefaction of 
those who are supposed to be predestinated from 
eternity to be destroyed. We have seen the great 
testimony of God Himself on the subject; and all 
that comes out of that testimony is, that men hard- 
en their hearts, stop their ears, and shut their eyes, 
lest His gracious desire for their conversion should 
be gratified. *' God is love," is once more clearly 
expounded and illustrated ; and as love. He is once 
more seen in love's position striving to win souls. 
That man is depraved, is again proven ; and he is 
seen in a position corresponding to his depravity, 
opposing the strivings of the kind Spirit of the 
Lord. O ! my hearer, let us rejoice that we have 



THE INFATUATION OF THE REPROBATE. I7l 

such a Father, and that He has given us the high 
privilege of studying the Bible for ourselves. Let 
us not forget our deep and most weighty responsi- 
bihty, for to whom much is given, from them much 
sliall be rightly required. Let us be fully alive to 
the love of our God ; and lean our souls on His 
faithful compassion, through the atonement of Jesus. 
There let us enjoy, and most ardently improve the 
blessedness of the Sun of Righteousness, and re- 
flect those rays on all around us. 



LECTUKE XI. 

PREDESTINATION AND THE HARDENING OF HEARTS. 

The subject which comes under our notice, more 
especially in this lecture, is the dealings of God 
with the Egyptians. The history of these, has long 
been regarded as undeniable proof that God has 
reprobated from eternity a certain part of mankind, 
and that He carries out His reprobating decree, by 
making His providence prove " the savor of death 
unto death " to such, while it is " the savor of life 
unto life " unto others. I shall follow out the exam- 
ination of this part of our subject in connection 
with Psalm cv. 25 — ("He turned their hearts to 
hate His people, and to deal subtly with His ser- 
vants"); and also, in view of the whole narrative 
of Jehovah's dealings with the Pharaohs and their 
subjects, contained in the commencing chapters of 
the book of Exodus, and alluded to in the ninth 
chapter of the epistle to the Romans. At the out- 
set, as in other lectures, it may be well that I should 
state the opinions that have been entertained of 
those Scriptures, in the words of those who have 
published the doctrine of universal predestination 
as founded on them. The following quotations set 
the doctrine before us as clearly and fully as could 
be desired : — " With respect to His secret influen- 
ces, the declaration of Solomon concerning the 
heart of a king, that it is inclined hither or thither, 



THE HARDENING OF HEARTS. 173 

according to the divine will, certainly extends to 
tlie whole human race, as though he had said, that 
whatever conceptions we form in our minds, they 
are directed by the secret inspiration of God. And 
certainly, if He did not operate internally on the hu- 
man mind, there would be no propriety in asserting 
that ' He causeth the wisdom of the wise to perish, 
and the understanding of the prudent to be hid ; 
that He poureth contempt upon princes, and caus- 
eth them to wander in the wilderness, where there 
is no way.' And to this He alludes, what we fre- 
quently read, that men are timorous, as their hearts 
are possessed with this fear. Thus, David departed 
from the camp of Siiul, without the knowledge of 
any one ; because a deep sleep from the Lord was 
fallen upon them all. But nothing can be desired 
more exi)licit than His frequent declarations, that 
He blinds the minds of men, strikes them with gid- 
diness, inebriates them with the spirit of slumber, 
fills them with infatuation, and hardens their hearts. 
These passages, also, many refer to permission, as 
though, in abandoning the reprobate, God permit- 
ted them to be blinded by Satan. But that solu- 
tion is too frivolous, as the Holy Spirit expressly 
declares that their blindness and infatuation are in- 
flicted by the righteous judgment of God. He is 
said to have caused the obduracy of Pharaoh's 
heart, and also to have aggravated and confirjiied 
it. Some elude the force of these expressions with 
a foolish cavil ; that since Pharaoh himself is else- 
where said to have hardened his own heart, his 
own will is stated as the cause of his obduracy. As 
though these two things were at all incompatible 
15* 



174 PEEDESTINATION AND 

with each other, that man should be actuated by 
God, and yet at the same time be active himself. 
But I retort on them their own objection ; for if 
hardening denotes a bare permission, Pharaoh can 
not properly be charged with being the cause of his 
own obstinacy. Now, how weak and insipid would 
be such an interpretation, as though Pharaoh only 
permitted himself to be hardened. Besides the 
Scripture cuts off all occasion for such cavils. God 
says, — ' I will harden his heart.' So also Moses says 
concerning the inhabitants of Canaan, that they 
marched forth to battle because the Lord had hard- 
ened their hearts ; which is likewise repeated by 
another prophet, — ' He turned their hearts to hate 
His people.' " * Here, then, the doctrine of the se- 
cret influencing of the heart of the reprobate, in 
order to carry out the reprobating decree by means 
of their obduracy, is clearly taught. The same 
doctrine is repeated by a much more modern au- 
thor, as follows : — " Now, we maintain, that for God 
to settle everything, is the only right, as well as the 
only blessed, condition in which our world can be. 
But let us ask, what better would it make matters 
were God not to settle everything beforehand ? 
This ap])ears to us unspeakably worse. "f In proof 
of this most universal settlement, or predestination, 
the author quotes, among otiier passages already 
considered, Rom. ix. 17, — " The scripture saitli unto 
Pharaoh, even for this same purpose have I raised 
thee up, that I might show my power in thee, and 
that my name might be declared throughout all the 

* Calvin's Institutes, book I ch. xviii. 
f Truth and Error, p. 46, 4*7. 



THE HAEDENIXG OF HEARTS. 175 

earth." Such, then, are the ideas derived from 
those passages wliich it is our duty now to consider. 
Everything — even the hardening and destruction 
of those who become inveterately wicked, and are 
eternally lost — everything is " settled " from eterni- 
ty, and, as settled in eternity, is carried out by the 
"secret influences" of God turning the heart to 
hatred, or to love, as suits His purpose ! So He is 
to be viewed as secretly and intentionally hardening 
Pharaoh's heart, and the heart of his subjects, and 
as aggravating more and more this obduracy, at the 
same time that He was using the most apparently 
mighty external influence to change their hearts, so 
as to let His people go free from the fearful oppres- 
sion under which they groaned. We have thus 
the doctrine clearly before us ; and as by isolated 
texts it appears very strongly supported, we shall 
examine those texts as carefully as possible. But, — 

I. Let us consider some of the very obvious 

OBJECTIONS THAT BEAR AGAINST THE DOCTRINE BE- 
FORE US. 

Here I might repeat those general objections that 
have been urged against the doctrine in other lec- 
tures, and in connection with other passages ; but 
it will be more useful to take up those that are illus- 
trated and confirmed by the history to which we 
require to refer. It is important, however, that the 
hearer should bear these general objections in mind. 

1. The doctri7ie luhich we have quoted^ repre- 
sents Jehovah as fighting with Himself, Nothing 
can more clearly lie upon the very surface of the 



176 



PREDESTINATION AND 



statements, taken in connection with the history, 
than this most fatal idea. Mark, my hearer, the 
first thing that God is represented as doing, is turn- 
ing the hearts of the Egyptians to hate His people, 
and to deal deceitfully with them (Ps. cv. 25). 
The immediate and necessary consequence of this 
is, that His people are oppressed. But what has 
given rise to this oppression ? The doctrine before 
ns answers, the Lord has given rise to it, in turning 
the hearts of the Egyptians against the Hebrews ! 
But this serious oppression of the Hebrews, is said 
in the history to have ascended as a "cr?/" to the 
ears of Jehovah, and He comes forth for the pur- 
pose of delivering His people. Well, the 9iext 
thing that God is represented by this doctrine as 
secretly doing, is the hardening of the heart of 
Pharaoh ; and the necessary consequence of this is, 
that the king so hardened will not let the people be 
delivered in a direct manner. But the question 
arises again, — Why does Pharaoh refuse to let the 
people go? The doctrine replies, — Because God 
has hardened his heart ! Here, then, Jehovah is 
the cause of this refusal. But the history tells us, 
that this refusal called for the display of mighty 
power on the part of God, that Pharaoh might be 
led at last to send the people away. Well, exter- 
nally^ Jehovah puts forth this mighty power, and 
performs wonders that make even the magicians of 
Egypt quail, and confess that it is God who strives 
with the king ; but, internallyy^ Jehovah still in- 
creases the obduracy of Pharaoh, so that he remains 
proof to all that is done ! Is it not as clear as 
noon-day, that were this doctrine true, God would 



THE HARDENING OF HEARTS. 177 

be internally holding and externally driving — that 
is, striving against Himself? It is surely one of the 
master-feats of delusion, that leads meri to accept 
such monstrous doctrines, without even an attempt 
to understand the Scriptures of God in a more com- 
mon-sense, not to say Godlike light. My hearer, 
is it possible that you can be blind to the deformity 
of a doctrine that ascribes to God the fearful folly 
of striving with Himself? Can you really regard 
Him as holding with the one hand and pushing with 
the other, and that in a matter where thousands of 
lives are sacrificed in the struggle ? Caoi you be- 
lieve, that internally He hardened the hearts of the 
Egyptians — turned them against His people — in- 
creased their desj^erate cruelty, and externally ap- 
peared to do the utmost to lead them to relent ? 
Do not say that this is not the doctrine with which 
we have to do. Read again the words of the great 
Calvin himself, and you can not fail to see that it is 
the doctrine. And, moreover, it is impossible to 
admit the doctrine of predestination, and of secret 
hardening into the case, without seeing the full ab- 
surdity now pointed out. Is there not great need, 
then, for understanding the Scriptures more fully? 
2. The doctrine in question represe^its God as 
cruel in an infinite degree. Let it not be forgotten 
that a whole nation of men are represented as 
held on the one hand, and on the other driven even 
to death, in this struggle of Jehovah with Himself. 
To turn tlie heart of any one to hate another, is an 
act of incomprehensible cruelty itself. To increase 
that hatred until it is ripened into deadly malice, is 
an act, for the description of which no words can 



178 



PREDESTINATION AND 



be found in the language of men. To continue to 
increase that obdurate malignity, after it has become 
so strong as to brave even death itself, or what was 
worse tluin death, the loss of the first-born, is, be- 
yond conception, infamous : but all this is only a 
fraction of the cruelty deliberately ascribed to God 
by the doctrine with which we have now to do. 
This is only the inter7ial jDart of it. You must add 
all the .plagues of Egypt, and the drowning of their 
host in the Red Sea, and if you would take in the 
doctrine before us, you must ascribe the whole to 
God, and declare it the perfection of things, that 
thus He should settle everything ! The difficulty 
is to comprehend how such a thought could be con- 
ceived, and, after it flashed upon the astounded 
mind, how it could be tolerated for a moment. 
And yet, my hearer, you must either take in this 
thought as God's truth, or what are we to make of 
the statement that " He turned their heart to hate 
His people ? " What are you to make of the doc- 
trine, that God foreordained whatsoever comes to 
pass ? It will not do to say it is a " mystery." It 
is only a pity that this plea can not prevail, for it is 
but too little a mystery. It is a plain, palpable dec- 
laration, that God takes a nation between His hands, 
and pushing with the one hand, while drawing with 
the other, tears them to pieces ! Surely, every 
hearer must be prepared to seek for truth of a very 
different complexion, in the words of the God of 
love. 

3. The doctrine which holds that God, by a se- 
cret inward influence, hardened the hearts of the 
Egyptians, represents God as deliberately deceiving 



THE HARDENING OF HEARTS. l79 

them. It is most clear that they were not aware of 
the power of God hardening their hearts ; and, it 
is further evident that the message witli which 
Moses was repeatedly commissioned to address 
Pharaoh irapUed the contrary. Hear what he says, 
"Tlius saith the Lord God of the Hebrews, Let 
my people go that they may serve rae ; for if thou 
refuse to let them go, and hold them still, behold 
the hand of the Lord is upon thy cattle which is in 
the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the 
camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep ; there 
shall be a grievous murrain." Exodus ix. 1-3. And 
again, — " As yet exaltest thou thyself against my 
people that thou wilt not let them go ? " Exodus 
ix. 17. Can any man suppose tliat this would con- 
vey the idea to the mind of Pharaoh that all the 
while it was God who was secretly exalting him and 
hardening his already obdurate heart. There can 
not be the slightest doubt that the language would 
and must have produced the impression upon Pha- 
raoh's mind, that his heart was hardened entirely 
against the xohole heart of the God of the Hebrews. 
It must have led him to believe the inmost desire 
of that God to be, that he should yield ; and there 
is not room for a doubt, that if Jehovah was secret- 
ly hardening Pharaoh's heart, He was also openly 
deceiving that king. Moreover, if Moses under- 
stood God as expositors have understood Him — 
Moses was sent to address Pharaoh in the distinct 
understanding that God \s^^ secretly preventing that 
on which He was op)enly and most mightily insist- 
ing. So, then, we must either believe that Moses 
understood nothinor of the kind, or that he was sent 



180 PREDESTIXATION AND 

to act the part of an infamous deceiver and hypo- 
crite. It may be thought tliat I am using strong 
language — How can I do otherwise ? How can you 
designate the most infamous liypocrisy but in calling 
it by its own name ? Place yourself^ my hearer, in 
Pharaoli's place. Suppose you liad been dealt with 
as this doctrine represents him as treated, how 
would you have named the work of God and of 
Moses then? Your heart secretly hardened, and 
plague after plague inflicted because you would not 
yield ! O ! that the time were come when men 
would care for God even so much as they care for 
themselves. Even with this amount of piety they 
would cease from all indifference on such a subject 
as this— much more would they be disposed to 
search the Scriptures to see whether these things 
are so. Were this spirit only possessed in anything 
like a high degree, we can not conceive of much 
difficulty standing in the way of the most thorough 
and permanent clearing of these Scriptures from 
the least suspicion of containing the doctrines to 
which we have been now objecting. 

II. Let us i>^ow endeavor to ascertain the 

REAL MEANING OF THE PASSAGES FROM WHICH THIS 
DOCTRINE IS DERIVED. 

The course pursued by the man who is opposed 
to the divine authority of the Bible is, to insist that 
the passages do contain this doctrine, and so to 
throw from him both the Book and the ideas thus 
derived from it. The course pursued by others is 
to command, with proud and domineering indigna- 



THE HARDENING OF FIE ARTS. 181 

tion, the acceptance of the doctrine in its most hor- 
rid form, because tlie]j say it is that of God. The 
course I prefer is, to show by irresistible evidence, 
derived from the Bible itself, that it contains no 
such monstrosities — to reject the doctrine, and cling 
to the word of life and love. Tliere are three 
classes of passages to be examined in pursuing this 
latter course. 

1 . Consider those i^cissages in lohich the trans- 
lation ALONE contains the semblance of the doc- 
trine. It is most important that, in every case, we 
should lay hold upon the real meaning of the wri- 
ter, and also show where this doctrine of reproba- 
tion is founded without the shadow of ground. 

Ps. cv. 25 — '-'•He turned their hearts to hate His 
people^'' etc. There is no word for " he " in the 
language of the Psalmist. It is the creation of the 
translator. The simple and most evident meaning 
of this verse is, " Their heart was turned to hate 
His }!)eople and to deal deceitfully with His ser- 
vants." This is in perfect harmony with the con- 
text, and also with the history alluded to. Why 
should we have a dark and soul-blinding doctrine 
rested upon the creation of a translator? God 
blamed with turning the hearts of a whole nation 
to hatred, is no slight matter ! It would need other 
ground than this.* 

* As to Ps. cv. 25, there is not much difficulty. Hafar is an 
intransitive verb as well as transitive, and, therefore, the verse 
may be translated, — "And their heart was turned," or " turned 
itself." See Lev. xiii. 3, 4, 13, 20, 55; Josh. vii. 8; Judges xx. 
41 ; 2 Eangs v. 26 ; where the verb has the nominative of 
" heart," as in Ps. cv. 25; Ps. Ixxviii. 9; Judges xx. 39 ; 1 
16 



182 PEEDESTINATION AND 

Exodus vii. 12 — '■'• A?id He hardened Pharaoh's 
heart.'''' Here the connection is such as, with the 
present translation, to ascribe the hardening of 
Pharaoh's heart to Aaron ! He is the j^erson named 
immediately before. But here again we have only 
the very awkward blunder of the translator on 
which to rest so serious a charge against Aaron. 
There is no word for " he " in the original, and the 
simple meaning is that — " the heart of Pharaoh was 
hardened." To adduce the authority of the trans- 
lators themselves, you have only to turn to the 
ninth chapter, and the thirty-fifth verse. Here the 
very same words that occur in the thirteenth are 
rendered, "And the heart of Pharaoh was harden- 
ed." Such, then, are two of the instances upon 
which we have seen considerable stress laid by the 
advocates of reprobation, and they are, most unde- 
niably, the mere errors of the translator. Surely, 
it is ground of great suspicion in regard to exposit- 
ors, when they found their creed, and insist upon it 
as absolutely divine, at the same time resting their 

Sam. XXV. 12; 2 Chrou. ix. 12. Hence many expositors ren- 
der the verb intransitively in Ps. cv. 25. Dathe translates the 
expression, — "Hence being changed in mind," You will be 
delighted with Hammond's paraphrase of the verse, — "This 
great and signal goodness of God to the posterity of Jacob, in 
multiplying them so exceedingly, was a means to provoke the 
Egyptians' jealousy, and from fear they turned soon to hatred, 
and mischievous machinations against them, giving orders first 
for the oppressing them by burdens and hard labor ( Ex. i, 11 ) ; 
and when they did not prevail to the lessoning but increasing 
of them (v. 12), then enhancing the rigor of their servitude (v. 
13, 14), and at length appointing all their male children to be 
killed as soon as they were born." — Note by Professor Mori- 
SON, Kilmarnock. 



THE HARDENING OF HEARTS. 183 

plea upon the translation of a phrase which is given 
differently in another place by the very translator 
on whom they depend. This leads us on to the sec- 
ond class of passages to which our attention re- 
quires to be turned. 

2. Let us consider those 2^(^ssages in lohich the 
real objects by lohich the heart is hardened are 
described. By the careful consideration of these 
we will be prepared at once to see the meaning of 
the third class of texts in which the hardening of 
the heart appears to be directly ascribed to God 
Himself By this consideration, also, we will be 
enabled to set aside the idea that the hearts of the 
Egyptians were hardened by " secret influences," 
exerted for that purpose. In Ex. i. 7-12, we have 
most clearly stated the motives that actuated the 
Egyptians in turning their hearts against the He- 
brews, and the occurrences by which these motives 
were supplied. The words of the historian are 
these, — " And the children of Israel were fruitful, 
and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and wax- 
ed exceeding mighty ; and the land was filled with 
them. Now there rose up a new king over Egypt 
which knew not Joseph. And he said unto his peo- 
ple, Behold, the people of the children of Israel 
are more and mightier than we. Come on, let us 
deal wisely with them ; lest they multiply, and it 
come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, 
they join also unto our enemies, and fight against 
us, and so get them up out of the land. Therefore 
they did set over them task-masters to afilict them 
with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh 
treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses. But the more 



184 PREDESTINATION AND 

they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and 
grew. And they were grieved because of the chil- 
dren of Israel." Here there is no possible room 
for " secret influences.'''' The Hebrews were made 
to prosper by Jehovah. This prosperity excited 
the envy of their foes and oppressors, and led them 
to deal deceitfully and murderously with the peo- 
ple of God. Jehovah gave the prosperity and in- 
creased it, and His doing so roused the worst feel- 
ings in the hearts of the vile oppressors under whose 
iron yoke the children of Jacob were already 
bound. He did not need to use any secret influence 
whatever to turn the hearts of the Egyptians to 
hate His people, and to deal subtly with His ser- 
vants : He only gave His people prosperity, and 
this turned their hearts to a murderous hatred 
against them. It displays sad ignorance of human 
nature, and sad neglect of the passage before us, to 
hold that it was " secret influences " that hardened 
the heart of Pharaoh. It was open influence — it 
was the influence of prospering the Hebrews. This 
is distinctly and unhesitatingly stated by the inspir- 
ed historian, and it is absurd to dispute it. 

Mark, still further, the progress of events. Ex- 
odus ii. 23-25 : — "And it came to pass, in process 
of time, that the king of Egypt died : and the cliil- 
dren of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, 
and they cried ; and their cry came up unto God., 
by reason of the bondage. And God heard their 
groaning, and God remembered His covenant with 
Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. Asid God 
^ooked upon the children of Israel ; and God liad 
respect unto them." The prosperity with which 



THE HARDENING OF HEARTS. 185 

Jehovah had blessed His people, through whom He 
had determined to bring about the salvation of men 
by the incarnation and deatli of Jesus, had roused 
the wieked envy and deadly hate of Egypt ; and 
now these had risen to such a degree as to cry loud 
to Heaven for interference on behalf of the oppress- 
ed. Well, Jehovah did interfere. He prepared 
Moses, and sent him to be the deliverer of the He- 
brews from the bondage of Egypt. Moses and 
Aaron, at last, by the command of their God, stood 
before Pharaoh, to make a very reasonable demand 
on behalf of the Israelites. What effect did this 
message of God produce? Read, and you will see 
that there was no need for secret hardening. Exo- 
dus V. 1-9: — "And afterward Moses and Aaron 
went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord 
God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may 
hold a feast unto me in the wilderness. And Pha- 
raoh said. Who is the Lord, that I should obey His 
voice to let Israel go ? I know not the Lord, 
neither will I let Israel go. And they said. The 
God of the Hebrews hath met with us ; let us go, 
we pray thee, three days' journey into the desert, 
and sacrifice unto the Lord our God, lest He fall 
upon us with pestilence, or with the sword. And 
the king of Egypt said unto them. Wherefore do 
ye, Moses and Aaron, let the people from their 
works? Get you unto your burdens. And Pha- 
raoh said. Behold the people of the land now aie 
many, and ye make them rest them from their bur- 
dens. And Pharaoh commanded the same day the 
taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying. 
Ye shall no more give the people straw to make 
16* 



ISO PREDESTINATION AND 

brick, as lieretofore : let tbem go and gather straw 
for theitiselves. And the tale of the bricks, which 
tliey did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; 
ye sliall not diminish aught thereof: for they be 
idle ; therefore, they cry, saying. Let us go and sac- 
rifice to our God. Let there more work be laid 
upon the men, that they may labor therein ; and let 
them not regard vain words." The demand for a 
small acknowledgment of freedom was more than 
sufficient " influence " to rouse the oppressor. It 
was like the note of " no slavery " upon the ear of 
an American slaveholder. It needed no secret or 
other influence whatever. The Hebrews themselves 
understood the pi'inciple which we are now evolv- 
ing. Exodus V. 20, 21: — "And they met Moses 
and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came 
forth from Pharaoh : And they said unto them, 
Tile Lord look upon you and judge ; because ye 
have made our savor to be abhorred in the eyes 
of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put 
a sword in their hand to slay us." This was the 
true state of the case. This was the hardening of 
Pharaoh's heart. But Jehovah was not to yield 
though Pharaoh raged, and foamed, and murdered. 
"No. There was one course open for infinite love 
and faithfulness, and this was to be pursued at all 
hazards, and in defiance of all consequences. The 
pursuing of this course was hardening Pharaoh's 
heart ; but this was no reason why God should cease 
from it and cast ofl" the cause of His people. No. 
The way of i-ighteousness mus.t not be left if the 
siniier is hardened in his sin by the pursuit of it. 
Man often does this, but God never will. He goes 



THE HARDENING OF HEARTS. 187 

forward in that wliich is dictat^^J by justice and 
love, whatever be the coiiseqnonees to those wlio 
attempt to oppose. But the way in which Phai-aoh's 
heart was liardened, and more especially the way 
in which that heart was increased in its obduracy, is 
clearly pointed out in Exodus vii, 10-12: — "And 
Moses and Aaron Avent in unto Pliaraoh, and they 
did so as the Lord had commanded; and Aaron cast 
down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his ser- 
vants, and it became a serpent. Then Pharaoh also 
called the ^vise men and the sorcerers ; now the 
magicians of Egypt they also did in like manner 
with their enchantments. For they cast down every 
man his rod, and they became serpents; but Aaron's 
rod swallowed up their rods." And it follows as I 
have already corrected the translation (v. 13): — 
"And Pharaoh's heart was hardened." Was there 
any need of a secret influence here ? The magi- 
cians supplied the place fully; and Pharoah called 
for them in order that they might fortify his mind 
against the plea of the oppressed. These lying ma- 
gicians, by imitating the real miracle that had been 
performed, steeled the mind of the king against it. 
It is most fearful that any one should ascribe to the 
" secret influences " of God that which is so mani- 
festly the fruit of the basest iniquity. The same 
thing is still clearer in the 22d verse of the same 
cliapter. When the water of the river had been 
turned into blood, " the magicians did so with their 
enchantments ; and Pharaoh's heart was hardened." 
Is it not most iniquitous to ascribe this result to 
God's " secret influences," when it is so manifestly 
the fruit of Pharaoh's wish, and of the lies of the 



188 PKEDESTINATION AND 

magicians ? Still more clear is the instance which 
we find in Exodus viii. 15: "Bat when Pharaoh 
saw that there was respite, he hardened his lieart." 
God gave that " respite," and in doing so — not in 
the use of ^' secret influences " — he hardened the 
heart of Pharaoh. Mark, my hearer, that the res- 
pite is expressly stated as the motive by which 
Pharaoh's heart was hardened. In the 19th verse 
we are told that the magicians were compelled to 
desist from their lies, and to confess that "this was 
the finger of God," and this — no doubt as a galling 
disappointment — hardened the heart of the king. 
It is unnecessary that I should pursue this part of 
the subject further, under this head. It is most 
clear that, instead of requiring to have recom'se to 
the miserable idea of God using secret influence to 
harden the heart of the king of Egypt, we have, in 
every instance, the 7notive, in view of which his 
mind became more obdurate, most distinctly stated. 
It is most important to bear this in mind, as it will 
clearly show ns the principle on which to under- 
stand the statement that the Lord hardened Pha- 
raoh's heart. 

3. J^et ics consider now those statements in 
which it'is said that the Lord hardened the heart 
of Pharaoh. We have already so far indicated 
the principle on which these must be understood, 
but it may be well just to take one or two illustra- 
tions. We shall take first, Stephen's preaching to 
the Jews. Before he began to declare the truth of 
God to his audience on the day of his martyrdom, 
that audience was composed of wicked men, but 
not of men prepared altogether to commit the act 



THE HARDENING OF HEARTS. 189 

of murder. His preaching roused their indigna- 
tion. He, by that preaching, roused that indigna- 
tion and mahce. He hardened their hearts, and 
they murdered him as the consequence. Was Ste- 
phen wrong? Was he to blame for preaching the 
truth of God ? The increase of wickedness was 
the direct result of his preaching — was he to blame ? 
No man will say so. Did he use " secret influen- 
ces " to rouse the malice of the crowd ? Did God 
do so? No. There was no secret influence need- 
ed. It was only required to preach Jesus in their 
hearing; and Stephen, in doing so, made their mal- 
ice rise to its mui'derous degree. Take another in- 
stance. A man of humanity goes into the South- 
ern States of North America. He becomes ac- 
quainted with a minister there ; and being a minis- 
ter himself, he is invited to preach. He enters the 
pulpit, and after the usual exercises, during which 
the minds of his audience are calm, and deeply de- 
votional to all appearance, and so far as they are 
conscious, he opens the Bible, and bids them turn 
for his text to Isa. Iviii. 6, the last part of the verse : 
— " that ye brake every yoke?'' He preaches from 
this a faithful anti-slavery sermon to slaveholders. 
What is the effect ? Probably, ere he is halfway 
on with his sermon, he is dragged from the pulpit, 
and treated with infinitely greater hard-heartedness 
than that with which. Moses was treated by Pha- 
raoh. Now, who hardened their hearts against 
him ? — who stirred them with murderous rage ? — 
who turned their " devotional feelings " into mad- 
ness and malignity ? No one can doubt that it was 
himself. And was he to blame for this ? Would it 



190 PREDESTINATION AND 

have been better that he should be dumb in the 
place where, above all others, he was required to 
speak out ? No : silence in such a place is infamy ; 
and yet by doing that which he was bound to do by 
every principle of truth and humanity, he hardened 
the hearts of his hearers. Just so was it w^ith Je- 
hovah in the case of Pharaoh. It was anti-slave- 
ry EFFORTS that hardened Pharaoh's heart, and 
these alone. But it may be well to take up the pas- 
sages particularly. 

Exodus iv. 21. — "And the Lord said unto Moses, 
When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that 
thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh which I 
have put in thine hand ; but I will harden his heart, 
that he shall not let the people go." Here most 
distinctly the intimation of God is in perfect accord- 
ance with the principle we have explained. This in- 
timation was intended to prevent the consequences 
of disappointment in Moses. The command given 
to him was in substance this : " Desist not from the 
course pointed out, though you will see that it is 
hardening the heart of Pharaoh, and increasing his 
determination not to part with the enslaved." This 
was a most important and most necessary warning 
to Moses. Had it not been for this warning, like 
many another poor advocate of the oppressed, he 
would have been silent with confusion when he saw 
that he was rousing the malignity instead of gain- 
ing the heart of the king. O! how many have 
needed this very imitation ! They have turned out 
useless in every good work, because they neglected 
to count on the worst. When they saw that God 
by their means was hardening hearts, they gave up 



THE HARDENING OF HEARTS. 191 

God's way, and took to their own. Moses was 
warned against this. He was commanded to be 
sure to carry out his commission, though he would 
see that this was its effect. This truth is confirmed 
by tlie declaration of God in chap. iii. 19. There 
He says to Moses: "I am sure the king of Egypt 
will not let yon go, but* by a mighty hand." He 
takes the greatest care to fortify the mind of his 
emancipator against the disappointment which He 
knew he would at first encounter. His great object 
was to insure his perseverance in the cause of free- 
dom, in the face of all possible obstacles. 

Exodus vii. 3, 4. — "And I will harden Pharaoh's 
heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in 
the land of Egypt. But Pharaoh shall not hearken 
unto you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and 
bring forth mine armies, and my people the children 
of Israel out of the land of Egypt, by great judg- 
ments." This passage is already explained by the 
application of the same principle that is applied 
above, only there is one base mistranslation without 
the shadow of a warrant in the original. Jehovah 
says literally, ^''cmd I will lay my hand upon Egypt," 
7iot " that I may lay my hand upon Egypt." His 
whole words to Moses are these, verse 2, — " Thou 
shalt speak all that I command thee, and Aaron, 
thy brother, shall speak unto Pharaoh, that he send 
the children of Israel out of his land; but" (and 
here is introduced again the warning to prevent dis- 
appointment in Moses), "I will harden Pharaoh's 
heart, and multiply my signs and wonders in the 
laud of Egypt ; and Pharaoh will not hearken unto 
* This is the marginal reading. 



192 PREDESTINATION AND 

you ; and I will lay my band upon Egypt." There 
is no idea here that Pharaoh's deafness was intend- 
ed by God to give Hini an opportunity of laying 
His hand upon Egypt. Tiiere was simply and 
strongly laid before Moses, that which was neces- 
sary in the circumstances, to lead him to proceed 
with the work of emancipation. One of the most 
invaluable of moral principles is evolved by this 
history — that of counting the cost of a great moral 
movement, and of going on with it steadily, even 
if hell should appear to be brought upon earth by 
the progress of truth. 

Exodus ix. 11, 12. — "And the magicians could 
not stand before Moses because of the boil : for 
the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the 
Egyptians. And the Lord hardened the heart of 
Pharaoh, and he hearkened not imto them ; as the 
Lord had spoken unto Moses." Here the meaning 
is manifest from the connection. The magicians 
were discomfited, and compelled to flee from the 
face of Moses ; and even this hardened Pharaoh's 
heart. The facts that ought to have laid him in the 
dust only enraged him more. 

Exodus X. i. — "And the Lord said unto Moses, 
Go in unto Pharaoh : for I have hardened his heart, 
and the heart of his servants, that I might show 
these my signs before him." This verse is partly 
explained on the same principles with that of the 
others. Jehovah had only hardened the heart of 
Pharaoh, by doing that which it was right and 
^most necessary for Him to do — and by doing that 
which was fitted in itself to produce the very oppo- 
site result. This verse is made much more clear, 



THE HARDENING OF HEARTS. 193 

however, by reading it, according to the connection, 
with a parenthesis. "Go in unto Pharaoh (for I 
have hardened his «heart), that I may show these 
signs before him, and that thou may est tell in the 
ears of thy son, and of thy son's son, what things 
I have wrought in Egypt." This is in most strict 
accordance witli the letter, as well as with the spirit 
of the original, and shows, not that God had made 
Piiaraoh wicked that He might show wonders, but 
that Moses was to go in unto Pharaoh, that the 
wonders might appear, and that he was to go in 
because all that had been yet done, had only hard- 
ened the heart of the king. It is impossible to 
bring a valid objection against this interpretation ; 
and you can not take the one opposed to it, with- 
out representing God and Moses as leagued to ef- 
fect the most fgarfal deception ; for, read the 3d 
and 4th verses, — " And Moses and Aaron came in 
unto Pharaoh, and said unto him. Thus saith the 
Lord God of the Hebrews, How long wilt thou re- 
fuse to humble thyself before me ? let my people 
go, that they may serve me : Else, if thou refuse 
to let my people go, behold, to-morrow will I bring 
the locusts into thy coast." I can not, in the face 
of these, take a different view of the passage from 
that given ; and I must believe that every hearer, 
who looks out at all to the connection of the pas- 
sage, will feel himself shut up to the same. Thus, 
we still see, even in these passages, the glorious 
truth, that " God is love." Aye, we shall yet see' 
"love" even to Pharaoh. Tlie 20th verse of this 
chapter is exjjlained on the same principle, " and 
the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart." After all 
17 



194 PREDESTINATION AND 

that he did, this was the only result. The same 
principle applies also to the 11th chapter and 10th 
verse, also to the words occurring in xiv. 4, also 8Lh 
and 17th. By the sliglitest care, it will be seen, to 
the very last, that the hardening of the hearts of 
the Egyptians, was the eiFect of that which it was ab- 
solutely' necessary for God to do, in order to deliver 
His oppressed people. The truth of these remarks 
may be confirmed, by particular attention, to the 
hardening of the Egyptians, by which they were 
led into the sea and drowned. Exodus xiv. 16, 
17, — " But lift up thy rod, and stretch out thine 
hand over the sea, and divide it ; and the children 
of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst 
of the sea. And I, behold, I will harden the 
hearts of the- Egyptians, and they shall follw them: 
and I will get me honor upon Pharaoh, and upon 
all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horse- 
men." Here, it is perfectly clear, that the opening 
of the sea determined the Egyptians to pursue 
their former slaves into the midst of it, and this 
desperate wickedness called aloud for that judg- 
ment by which the waves of the ocean completed 
their rxxm. It is impossible thus to trace the his- 
tory of these events, and to see their effects, ac- 
cording to laws which we see in operation every 
day around us, and not to abhor the error by 
which Jehovah is made to appear as secretly and 
intentionally preventing the repentance ot" the 
Egyptians. It would be every whit as just, to as- 
cribe the living and murderous rage with which an \ 
American slaveholder pursues his slave, to the se- 
cret instigation of God. It is the escape of the 



THE HARDENING OF HEARTS. 195 

slave, and it may be some striking interposition of 
God in his behalf, that tnaddens the malignity of 
his oppressor. The theory of secret influence in 
such a case, is worthy of the darkest ages ; and 
yet the same theory, in the case of Pharaoh, is no 
better. 

I have thus at large, and particularly, reviewed 
the case of the Egyptians, as recorded in Exodus, 
and it remains to consider the words of Paul very 
briefly, as I have done this at large elsewhere.* 
Romans ix. 17, 18, — -"For the scripture saith unto 
Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised 
thee up, that I might show my power in thee, and 
that my name might be declared throughout all 
the earth. Therefore hath He mercy on whom He 
will have mercy, and whom He will He hardeneth." 
The explanation which we have already had, shows 
how God is neither unrighteous nor unkind, when 
He hardens whom He will. It was the object of 
Paul to show this, in vindication of God, as hard- 
ening the hearts of the Jews by the mission and 
proclamation of Jesus. He shows that He was 
hardening them, just as He had hardened the 
Egyptians, by canning out before them the great 
deliverance ; and though he proceeded with this 
till their obstinacy had become desperate, he was 
perfectly righteous. He could not turn from a 

* I have omitted the consideration of several texts that 
would otherwise have fallen under notice in this discussion, be- 
cause they are fully treated in my other httle volume, entitled, 
" Light out of Darkness." The reader will permit me to refer 
to that for a full consideration of this passage of the Epistle to 
the Romans. 



196 PREDESTINATION AND 

right course to please or soothe them. He could 
not but proclaim a crucified Saviour, though this 
should rouse them to the most fearfal and self-de- 
stroying frenzy. It was thics alone that He willed to 
harden. 

But this passage is made much more clear, when 
we remember that the '■^ oxnsi?ig z^^ " of Pharaoh 
was his recovers/ from a deadly ilhiess. It was af- ^ 
ter the j)lague of the boils that Jehovah addressed 
him as quoted by Paul, and thus, instead of God 
saying that He had created, or exalted Pharaoh to 
the throne to show His power in destroying him. 
He was telling him that He had raised him from 
the bed of death, in order that still further He 
might show him His power and goodness for his 
repentance; By reading the account in Exodus, 
this most clearly appears. Having thus lengthened 
out this lecture, I must close with only a few re- 
marks. Let it not be forgotten that the most gra- 
cious dealings of God have two opposite eflfects up- 
on men — they harden as well as melt the soul. Nor 
let it be forgotten that Jehovah will not turn from 
a right course, because He kno^vs that He is hard- 
ening the impenitent sinner ; and O ! my hearer, es- 
pecially beware lest you occupy the position of him 
whom Jehovah's dealings harden. Depend on this 
— the theory of a " secret influence " will not stand 
in the great day of the Lord. You will see then 
that all on God's part was open, and full of love, 
and, if all has only hardened you, it will be a fear, 
ful thing to remember what has been done for you, 
and see the effect produced. Open your mind to 
the melting power of the love of God — "The Holy 



THE HARDENING OF HEARTS* 197 

Spirit saitb, Oh ! that to-day you would hear His 
voice — harden not your hearts." He is talking of 
tlie things of Christ, and showing them to you now. 
Do, I beseech you, turn your mind to the great 
atonement — study it as a guilty soul may be ex- 
pected to study the acknowledgment of its ransom 
paid. You will — you 'must be blessed in such a 
study. 

17* 



LECTUEE XII. 

PREDESTINATION AND THE DEATH OF THE 
KEPEOBATE. 

The passages to which I request attention in this 
lecture are two. In the first, we have an account 
of the death of the sons of Eli ; and in that ac- 
count the following words occur, — 1 Sam. ii. 25 : 
*'If one man sin against another, the judge will 
judge liim; but if a man sin against the Lord, who 
shall entreat for him." These are the solemn words 
of warning which Eli addressed to his wicked sons ; 
and it is added, — " Notwithstanding they hearken- 
ed not to the voice of their father, because the 
Lord would slay them." The second passage to 
which I call attention is that in which we have an 
account of the death of Ahab, king of Israel. In 
the account of that occarrence, we have the follow- 
ing words: 1 Kings xxii. 20-22 — "And the Lord 
said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up 
and fall at Ramoth-gilead ? And one said on this 
manner, and another said on that manner. And 
there came forth a spirit, and stood before the Lord, 
and said, I will persuade him. And the Lord said 
unto him. Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, 
and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his 
prophets. And He said. Thou shalt persuade him, 
and prevail also ; go forth and do so." The doc- 



THE DEATH OF THE REPROBATE. 190 

trine which is founded upon these and kindred pas- 
sages, so far as foundation is sought for it in the Bi- 
ble, is, that God predetermines the miserable death 
of certain men, and that not in the way of permit- 
ting it, but in tlie way of securing it, and prevent- 
ing their repentance^ in order that this ruin which 
He has predestined for them may not be averted. 
The doctrine, however, will be best stated in the 
words of its own great advocate. These are as 
follows, — "It often occurs in the sacred history, 
that whatever comes to pass proceeds from the 
Lord, as the defection of the ten tribes, the death 
of the sons of Eli, and many events of a similar 
kind." Again, " God intends the deception of that 
perfidious king Ahab ; the devil offers his service 
for that purpose ; he is sent, by a positive commis- 
sion, to be a lying spirit in the mouth of all the 
prophets. If the bUnding and infatuation of Ahab 
be a divine judgment, the pretense of bare permis- 
sion disappears, for it would be ridiculous for a 
judge merely to permit, without decreeing what 
should be done, and commanding his officers to do 
it." These portions of sacred history now before 
us are given in defense of the following strong state- 
ment : — " The modesty of those who are alarmed 
at the appearance of absurdity, might, perhaps, be 
excusable, if they did not attempt to vindicate the 
divine justice from all accusation by a pretense ut- 
terly destitute of any foundation in truth ! They 
consider it absurd that a man should be blinded by 
the will ^nd command of God, and afterwards be 
punished for his blindness. They, therefore, evade 
the difficulty, by alleging that it happens^ only by 



200 PEEDESTIXATION AND 

permission, and not by the will of God ; but God 
Himself, by the most unequivocal declarations, re- 
jects this subterfuge. That man, however, can efiect 
nothing but by the secret will of God, and even 
deliberate on nothing, but what He hath pi-eviously 
decreed and determines by His secret direction, is 
proved by express and innumerable testimonies."* 
The passages before us are part of these express 
and innumerable testimonies ; " and as it is most 
unnecessary to quote farther, we must proceed di- 
rectly to the removal of that fearful load which the 
doctrine of universal predestination has thus ca.st up- 
on the word and character of our God. Surely, no 
one who reflects on the importance of His glory 
can deem our work unnecessary. 

I. Let us coxsider some of the objectioxs 

THAT BEAK YEKY MANIFESTLY AGAINST THE DOC- 
TKINE NO^V BEFORE US. 

It is right and proper to state objections when 
we feel their force upon our own minds ; but it is 
our bounden duty to do so, when we proceed to 
alter and reject the opinions of others; and it may 
not be out of place to observe likewise that those 
objections whicii we are about to state are such 
that, in view of them, every man is hound to seek 
at least some interpretation of the passages in hand 
different from that which is given in the doctrines 
just quoted. 

1. The doctrine before us represents God as pre- 
ferring the death of these three men to their repent- 
* Calvin's Institutes, book L ch. xviil 



THE DEATH OF THE EEPKOBATE. 201 

ance. This lies upon the very surface of the doc- 
trine. He is made to appear in want of some one 
to accomplish the destruction of Ahab, and as with- 
holding light, and blinding the minds of the sons of 
Eli, because His secret desire was that neither of 
these parlies should repent, but that they should 
die. Now, it is imnecessary again to remind my 
hearer that this is contrary to the very oath of God 
Himself. It is the very reverse of the declaration 
that He makes on oath, " As I live, saith the Lord 
God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked ; 
BUT RATHER that the wicked turn from his way and 
live." This declaration is fatal to the doctrine be- 
fore us. Jehovah's preference is seen here to be 
for the LIFE, and not for the death of the wicked. 
"The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as 
some men count slackness, but is long-suffering to 
usward, not willing that any should perish, but that 
all should come to repentance." What, then, is 
God's preference ? Is it the death of the wicked ? 
So says the doctrine before us; and, in doing so, it 
runs against the omnipotent declaration of God 
Himself. I hold, then, that on the ground of this 
most manifest objection, every man is bound by all 
the obligations that God has laid upon him to seek 
for a different solution of the passage in question. 
It is not a favorite creed that demands this of each 
of us ; but it is demanded by the sacredness of the 
character and truth of Jehovah Himself. 

2. Tlie doctrine before us represents God as pur- 
posely aggravating the doom of the loicked. We 
can not, if we accept this doctrine, stop short by 
believing that God prefers the death of the wicked 



202 PEEDESTINATION AND 

to their repentance ; we are forced on to the idea 
that He prefers that their death should be of the 
most liorrid kind. He could have slain the sons of 
Eli before they rejected the solemn counsel of their 
father, as well as after it. But it is held that the 
cup of their iniquity was not then full. Their pun- 
ishment would have been less then, but, as appears 
from this doctrine, God desired that it should be 
greater. So with Ahab. He was predestinated to 
death ; he had far less sin before he went to Ram- 
oth-gilead than after ; and if it had been simply his 
death that was desired. He might have been slain 
then ; but, as appears from the doctfine before us, 
it was an aggravated death that God desired for 
Ahab! Alas! men may cry out "mystery " when 
such an opinion is assailed. It is a wretched de- 
fense. We must drag the vile and hideous monster 
error forth from his den of mystery, and let him 
live, if he can, under the rays of the Sun of Right- 
eousness. It is impossible. Subjected to the light 
of the glory of God, as it shines in the face of Clirist 
Jesus, and glistens in the tears with which that fice 
was bedewed, because of the death of the wicked 
in Jerusalem, that error must die. It is in mystery 
alone and in- darkness the doctrine can live. You 
are bound, my hearer, to find another interpretation 
of the word of God, or if you can not find that, at 
least to refrain from giving such an one as that be- 
fore us. 

3, The doctrine in question represents God as a 
deceiver. These are the express words already quo- 
ted; "God intends the deception of that perfidious 
king Ahab." Now, is my hearer prepared to be- 



THE DEATH OF THE EEPROBATE. 203 

lieve that God can intend the deception of any one? 
Is he prepared to receive an interpretation of the 
Scriptures which actually represents the God of 
truth as giving a commission to deceive? My hear- 
er, I know not, as I speak, what may be your state 
of raind in hearing ; but of this I am sure, that you 
can not read such language without feeling that 
there must he something wrong in connection with 
it. If we are really to believe that God may de- 
ceive, then we may follow His example ; for that 
which is right in itself for Him, can not be wrong 
in itself for us ; and thus, to follow the example of 
God, would be to become deceivers. O ! it is sick- 
ening to see the extent to which a misleading theory 
will carry oif the mind of man — to hear one of the 
friends of the true God actually declaring that He 
intended to deceive ! We shall see that the pas- 
sage of sacred history from which this notion is de- 
rived, not only gives it no countenance, but carries 
its contradiction upon the very face of it. In the 
meantime, it is most important to feel the full force 
of the objections appUed to the doctrine itself. The 
Spirit says, " God can not be tempted with evil, 
neither tempteth He any man.'''* How does this 
agree with the doctrine before us ? How does the 
alleged deception of Ahab agree with this declara- 
tion of God Himself? Can you, my hearer, recon- 
cile them ? Can you regard them both as true ? 
Depend upon it, you can not thus meet the diffici;*- 
ties of the unbeliever, nor loill you be able thus to 
meet the infidel suggestions that may yet assail 
your own mind^ it may be in a dying hour. O ! it 
is incalculably important that you should see intelU^ 



204 PREDESTINATION AND 

gently the truth and consistency of the Book of 
God. 

4. Tlie doctrine in question is contradicted upon 
the very face of one of the passages under consid- 
eration. Only read and reflect upon the whole ac- 
count of Allah's deatli, and then ask yourself the 
question, Could God intend to deceive bini? * Mark 
the words of Micaiah, the only true man of God 
present among the prophets that prophesied to 
Ahab, 1 Kings xxii. 14 — "And Micaiah said, As the 
Lord liveth, what the Lord saith unto me, that will 
I speak." Here, then, was a man, and he the only 
one who had the word of God to communicate, and 
hear what the Lord directs him to say. Is it such 
as could deceive Ahab ? Is it such as can indicate 
an intention on the part of God to deceive him so 
as to induce him to go up to Ramoth-gilead? Only 
ask yourself if you would have been induced to go 
up and fall in Ramoth-gilead by such a statement as 
that made to Ahab ? On what ground here can 
we rest the idea that "God intended to deceive that 
perfidious king Ahab?"' Manifestly upon no ground 
but that which is found in a most 2)C(rtial and false 
quotation fiom the passage. It is most clear, as we 
shall see, that the whole testimony of the |)rophet 
of God went to undeceive Ahab, and also, that the 
]s.\ng felt undeceived by that testimony; yet Mica- 
iah's was the only testimony that came from the 
Lord. We shall find occasion, however, to pursue 
this subject furthei" afterward. What I insist on 
now is, that these four objections which I have stat- 
ed are more than sufficient to convince any man 
that, if he has taken the view of those passages 



THE DEATH OF THE REPROBATE. 205 

which is given in the doctrine we have quoted, he 
has not understood them aright. If these objec- 
tions are reflected on, they will inevitably show, 
that, whatever be the meaning of these scriptures, 
it can not be that which is thus put upon them. 
This prepares us for the examination of those por- 
tions of the Bible that we may understand them 
according to the manifest intention of the Spirit of 
God. 

II. Let us examine the passages before us 

THAT WE MAY SEE THEIR TRUE ilEAXING. 

As in all other parts of the Bible, when studied 
aright, we shall find in these the opening heart and 
outflowing goodness and mercy of our God. 

1. Let us turn our attention to 1 Samuel ii. 25. 
In our "authorized version " the meaning of this 
text is, that the sons of Eli did not hearken to the 
counsel of their father, " because the Lord would 
slay them." This rendering makes it appear that 
the wish of God to slay them, was the coMse of 
their not listening to their father ; and it implies 
that had the Lord wished them to live, they would 
have hearkened and obeyed. It will appear at 
once, however, that the whole of this idea rests up- 
on the word " because." Let that be altered and 
this prop of the horrid doctrine already quoted is 
i-emoved. Now, we may hold, with the most per- 
fect safety, the truth, that unless that word " be- 
cause " be the necessary^ and inevitable translation 
of the original, as used by the historian, we ought, 
under the force of the objections already stated, to 
18 



20G • PREDESTINATION AND 

understand and translate it otherwise. We can 
scarcely be wrong in supposing that every right 
mind, on reading the passage as it now stands, will 
be led to ask, — " Is it impossible for that particle to 
be translated otherwise ? " We shall see immedi- 
ately that it is neither impossible nor very difficult 
to prove that it may be rendered differently. (1.) 
Mark the force of JEWs loords. They are literally 
as follows : — " If a man sin against a man, God will 
condemn him ; and if a man sin against Jehovah, 
who shall entreat for him f " This was the strong- 
est mode in which he could state the certainty of 
the doom of those who persisted in sinning as his 
sons had done — directly against the Lord. By the 
unanswerable question he affirms, in the strongest 
manner, that the Lord would put them to death. 
The sons of Eli stood in the place of mediators be- 
tween the people and God ; and thus had more di- 
rectly to do with Him than the rest of their coun- 
trymen, and the declaration of their father was that 
if God was pleased to devote to death those who 
simply sinned against their fellow-men, and stood 
at a greater distance as it were from God, how much 
more would He please to devote them to the same 
doom. His ," voice," then, was " that the Lord 
would slay them." This was the solemn warning 
of Eli to his sons, and it w^as this they would not 
hear. The passage properly translated runs thus : 
" Yet they would not hear the voice of their father 
— THAT tlie Lord would slay them." That is, they 
woiild not listen to the fact that Jehovah would 
certainly put them to death. The temptation of 
Satan was in their hearts as a loved principle — " Ye 



THE DEx\.TH OF THE REPKOBATE. • 207 

shall not surely die." It will be seen that this ren- 
dering of the historian's words completely removes 
all difficulty from the passage, and it remains only 
for me to prove that the translation is unquestiona- 
bly true. (2.) Mark, then, that the particle {•>'s) 
rendered " because " in the authorized version has 
very commonly the meaning of "that" in the con- 
nection I have noted. In order to make this mat- 
ter of no doubt to the mind of the hearer, I shall 
notice a few of the instances, in multitudes of which 
it occurs in this sense. Gen. xiv. 14 — " And when 
Abraham heard that (^s) his brother was taken." 
Gen. XXX. 33 — " JBecause ("^s) the Lord hath heard 
that (•^3) I was hated." Here the particle occurs 
in both uses, and can not be rendered in only one. 
Gen. xxxix. 15 — "And it came to pass when he 
heard that (•'s) I lifted up my voice." Gen. xlii. 
2 — "And he said. Behold I have heard that {'>'d) 
there is corn in Egypt." Gen. xliii. 25 — " i^cr (■'s) 
they heard that (■^s) they should eat bread there." 
Here, again, the particle occurs in both uses. 
Numb. xiv. 14 — "For they have heard that ("'s) 
thou, Lord, art among this people — that {'''s under- 
stood) thou art seen face to face — and that ("is un- 
derstood again) thy cloud standeth over them — and 
that thou goest before them," etc. It is unnecessa- 
ry to multiply instances, as this must be admitted 
by all who know anything of the uses of the word 
at all, to be an undoubted, and most common use 
of it. The particle thus used, simply points out 
that which has been seen, or known, or heard, or 
remembered, according to the remark of Geseuius, 



208 PREDESTINATION AND 

which I give in the note below.* The plain mean- 
ing of the passage, then, is, that the sons of Eli 
would not hear that the Lord was prepared to put 
them to death. Unlike the Niiievites who turned 
from their wickedness when such a declaration was 
made to them, these base men discredited altogeth- 
er the warning voice. Thus is the dreary error of 
God keeping their eyes shut, that He might kill 
them, thrown off like an unhallowed load from this 
portion of the word of God.f 

Surely, my hearer, it is a relief to your mind, if 

* G-bsejSTIus says of this particle (i:d) " So after verbs of see- 
ing, G-en. i. 4, 10, 12 ; iii. 6 : of hearing, Gen. xiv. 14; xxix. 33 ; 
xxxix. 15 : of knowing, Gen. xxii. 12 ; xxiv. 14 ; xlii. 33 : of 
pointing out. Gen. iii. 11 ; xii. 18; Psalms 1. 6; xcii. 10: of de- 
manding, Isa. i. 12 : of forgetting. Job xxxix. 15." He gives 
these instances as kindred with Gen. i. 10, " And God saw this, 
viz., that it was goody The Greek word corresponding to "^a {otl) 
has the same signification. See Eobinson's Lex. largely on the 
word. 

\ Our *' authorized version " is seen to be the more at fault in this 
glaring case, from the fact that there are, three other uses of the 
particle (^'2\ that may be well justified. Tarnovius und Noldius 
render it ''■although,'' and give the sense thus: — " Not-^vithstand- 
ing they would not hearken unto the voice of their father, al- 
though tlie Lord should slay them. Geier, Pfeiffer, Glassius and 
Home translated it "therefore," and give the sense — "Notwith- 
standing they hearkened not to the voice of their father, there- 
fore the Lord would slay them." Both of these uses of the 
particle are actually acknowledged by our translators themselves, 
and thus, though tliey were not supported by instances as they 
are, they might still be pleaded against the translation in the 
common version. I prefer the one I have given because of its 
being by far the best established use of the particle, and one re- 
garding which there is no room left to doubt. The identical 
rendering I have given is also given by D. Schmid. 



THE DEATH OF THE EEPROBATE. 209 

it also has been loaded with this horrid error, to dis- 
cover, at least in another instance, that the God of 
the Bible has been falsely accused, and that this 
dai'k and soul-distressing-doctrine has no shadow of 
support beyond the narrow and misguiding pi'eju- 
dice of an erring translator. ! see your God as a 
God of justice indeed, but also, and in that very 
justice, a God of cliangeless, endless love. Yes it 
was love even to Eli's sons to warn them — to make 
a last effort to redeem their souls. 

2. Let us 71010 direct our attention to 1 Kings, 
xxii. There are several points of the narrative 
here given which it is important to keep specially 
in view. 

(1.) Ahab was a king of habitual wickedness. 
So much was this the case, that Micaiah, the proph- 
et of God, never spoke good of him. His whole 
proceedings were characterized by wickedness. The 
very opening of this chapter shows that even three 
years of peace was too much for him, and he must 
have war. 

(2.) This king had about four hundred prophets, 
on whose favorable loord he could depend. What 
must have been the character of these prophets? 
They could prophecy to please a wicked king. That 
they were habitually animated by the spirit of false- 
hood there can be no doubt. They are called 
Ahab's prophets — not prophets of God. Such were 
the men called together by Ahab when he wished 
to go to war upon Ramoth-gilead. 

(3.) It is manifest that Jehoshaphat had no con- 
fidence in these prophets of Ahab. He did not say 
so directly, as this would have given grievous of- 
18* 



210 PKKDESTIXATION AND 

fense ; but he said, " Is there not a prophet of Je- 
hovah besides, that we might inquire of him ? " It 
is most clear that the kin 2^ of Judah reo;arded the 
parasitical prophets of Ahab as no authority in a 
case of need. He could not be deceived by them.- 
Nor did Ahab much value their testimony ; for in- 
stead of resenting the very plain condemnation of 
liis prophets implied in the question of Jehosha- 
phat, he answered that there was a prophet of the 
Lord of whom they might inquire. Now, if God 
had intended to deceive Ahab, as Calvin says, would 
He have woven so thin a web of deception as this? 
Even thus far the truth is evident, that God had. 
provided a light sufficient to undeceive Ahab in the 
person of His own prophet. How can any man, 
with the flicts of the case before him, think that it 
was God's intention to deceive Ahab so as to ac- 
complish his ruin ? 

(4.) The messenger sent for Micaiah shows that 
the whole matter of the prophecy of the four hun- 
dred was a hypocritical farce, and known to be such. 
How otherwise could he have exhorted the prophet - 
of God to speak as the others had done ? Micaiah 
gave an answer that placed him at once infinitely 
above the suspicion of hypocrisy, and made his 
word, as it had been in time past, the only word of 
weight that the king of Israel was to hear. Ahab 
knew that this was the 07ily man then prepared to 
let him know the truth, and he did at the hazard 
of his life speak that truth. 

(5.) Mark the manner in which Micaiah spake 
when brought before the king. His first words are, 
" Go and prosper, for the Lord shall deliver it into 



THE DEATH OF THE KEPiiOBATE. 211 

the hand of the king." How did lie utter these 
words ? Did he speak so as to deceive the king, or 
so as to undeceive him ? Tlie question is answered 
at once in the reply of Ahab. " And the king said 
unto him, How many times shall I adjure thee that 
thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the 
name of the Lord ? " Why should Ahab speak 
thus ? If Micaiah had not by bis manner clearly 
indicated that he was speaking ironically, could 
Ahab have felt any ground for this question ? Had 
the God of this prophet intended to deceive Ahab, 
would he not have led him to speak so solemnly as 
to put away all ground for such a question ? 

(6.) Mark the reply of Micaiah when command- 
ed to speak the truth, and after he had assumed a 
solemn aspect : " I saw all Israel scattered upon the 
hills as sheep that have no shepherd. And the Lord 
said, These have no master : let them return every 
man to his house in peace." Now, my hearer, how 
does the statement look that " God intended to de- 
ceive that perfidious king, Ahab ? " Does it appear 
a truth or a falsehood ? I demand, if you have giv- 
en ear to that doctrine, that you answer the ques- 
tion to Him, to the slander of whose holy name you 
have listened. How could it ever enter the mind 
of man, reading the actual history, that there was 
on the part of God an intention to deceive that 
king? Was the king deceived? No; he rushed 
in the face of the warning of God to meet his ruin. 
He went to death, and he went to meet it with his 
eyes open as the plain statement of the truth could 
make them. It is impossible to designate the con- 
duct of those who make it appear from this passage 



212 PREDESTINATION AND 

that God intended to deceive Ahab, and commis- 
sioned Satan for that purpose. It is the founding 
of one ot the most hideous of errors where not 
only it has no place to stand, but where it has its 
flat contradiction upon the very face of the narra- 
tive. 

(7.) Mark the skill of the parable by which Mi- 
caiah seeks to undeceive the mind of Ahab. The 
learned Home, in his Introduction to the Critical 
Study of the Scriptures, has the following remark : 
"The address of Micaiah to the. two confedei'ated 
kings in verses 19-23 is not a real representation of 
anything done in the heavenly world, as if the Al- 
mighty were at a loss for expedients, or had any 
hand in the sins of His creatures; but it is a mere 
parable, and only tells, in figurative language, what 
was in the womb of providence, the events that 
were shortly to take place, and the permission^ on 
the part of God, for these agents to act. Micaiah 
did not choose to tell the angry and imperious Ahab, 
that all his prophets were liars ; but he represents 
the whole by this parable, and says the same truths 
in language equally forcible, but less offensive." * 
The parable is as follows (verses 19-23) : — "And he 
said, Hear thou, therefore, the word of the Lord. 
I saw the Lord sitting on Plis throne, and all the 
host of heaven standing by Him on His right hand 
and on His left. And the Lord said, Who shall per- 
suade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Rainoth- 
gilead ? And one said on this manner, and anoth- 
er said on that manner. And there came forth a 
spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said , I will 
* Home's Intro, part ii. b. ii. ch..xiii. § v. 16. 



THE DEATH OF THE REPROBATE. 213 

persuade him. And the Lord said unto hira, 
Wherewith ? And he said, I will go forth, and I 
will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his proph- 
ets. And He said, Thou shalt persuade hira, and 
prevail also ;_ go forth, and do so. Now, therefore, 
behold, the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the 
mouth of all these thy prophets, and the Lord hath 
spoken evil concerning thee." Can any one read 
that parable, and remember it was stated to Ahab 
by the prophet of God, and then take in the idea 
that the Lord intended to deceive that king ? Such 
an idea is out of the question, and no man could 
ever have gathered it from this passage, unless He 
had first of all determined, by one way or another, 
to have it taught in the Bible. O ! let us rejoice 
that a faithful and true God is faithful and true, and 
deeply compassionate, even to Ahab, the impious 
king ; and that, instead of intending to deceive 
him. He did the very utmost that could be done, and 
that at the risk of the life of His faithful serv-ant, to 
show him his danger, and to lead hira to repentance. 
Yes, my heai'er, though you are baser even than 
Ahab, God will neither deceive you, nor leave you 
to Satan, nor feel cold and indifferent to you, but 
will continue to strive to the last, even until He will 
truly say, " What could have been done more for 
you that I have not done ? " (Is. v. 4.) It is most 
clear that, to the very last. He warned Ahab, and 
that had not the king persisted in the face of the 
very clearest hght, he would have turned to his 
God and been " abundantly pardoned." Instead of 
this, he ordered the servant of God, who told him 
the truth, to be imprisoned, and went forth evident- 



214 PREDESTINATION AND 

ly under the conviction of guilt, for he disguised 
himself in the meanest manner, and showed all the 
symptoms of a conscience-stricken soul. 

III. Let us learn a eew practical and impor- 
tant LESSONS FROM THIS SUBJECT. 

It is too important that we should lay it aside 
by merely understanding its meaning. Let us see 
our God, as He appears shining forth from the dark- 
ness in which His character has been shrouded by 
the doctrines with which we have had to do in this 
lecture. 

1. We learn the amazing forbearance of Jelio- 
vah^ even unto the basest of sinners. We have an 
account of the guilt of Eli's sons, from which the 
soul turns away with loathing ; and yet, God did 
not yield to deliver them to death, until they had 
resisted His Spirit, in the last solemn warning that 
could be tendered them. He bore with them to the 
last. It was only after onercy itself called for their 
removal from the earth, that they might not con- 
tinue as a pestilence among the people, that the 
Lord yielded them to the sword of the enemy. 
The same is most clear in the case of Ahab. He is 
said to have " sold himself to commit iniquity ; '* 
and yet, the Lord did not leave him. Instead of 
leaving him. He continued to warn him to the very 
last, and even then Ahab went to his death in the 
face of the clearest light. O ! my hearer, can you 
read these narratives, and see the wondrous for- 
bearance of your God, and not pant for the promo- 
tion of the knowledge of His love ? Above all, can 



THE DEATH OF THE REPEOBATE. 215 

you doubt the fullness and freeness of His mercy to 
yoii^ when you see its vast extent to those most 
wicked of men ? How much must His delight be 
to receive the returning sinner, when He strives so 
long and so powerfully with those who are deter- 
mined never to return. 

2. ^Ve learn from this subject the fearful influ- 
ence of the doctrine of universal predestination. 
Only try to conceive of the immense forbearance 
and love of God to these wicked men being con- 
verted into an eternal determination to destroy 
them ! Can you grasp the fearful magnitude of that 
transformation ? Yet such is the transformation 
eflected by the doctrine in question. From the very 
highest and most glorious eminence of heavenly 
light, shining in that compassion that feels for even 
Ahab, the name of God is cast down into that im- 
penetrable darkness in which He is supposed to em- 
ploy Satan, to deceive still further the doomed mon- 
arch, in order to make his end more fearful than it 
would otherwise have been ! Surely, that doctrine 
that leads to the conversion of the light of eternal 
love into the gloom of eternal hatred, must yet be- 
come detested by every soul in which the last spark 
of reverence for God has not been utterly extin- 
guished. 

3. We learn from this subject how deeply need- 
ful it is for us to search the Bible for ourselves. 
Many have cast off Christianity because they have 
allowed others to search the Bible for them. They 
have been, by this means, cheated out of an eternal 
inheritance. They have rightly concluded that God 
can not join hands.with Satan in deceiving any one ; 



216 PREDESTINATION, ETC. 

bnt they liave taken the idea at second hand, that 
the Bible teaches such a fearful thought ; and hence, 
they have cast off the Bible. Without even a star 
in the black night of their infidelity, they have 
launched their eternal spirits upon a dread uncer- 
tainty, to sink in everlasting darkness ; and all this 
simply for want of searching the Scriptures for 
themselves. O ! ray dear hearer, let rae assure yon, 
from experience, that the searching of the Bible is 
a work of rich reward. The more carefully, hon- 
estly, and prayerfully you do so, the more will your 
spirit be enriched with the fullness of God ; where- 
as, if you carelessly take the Bible at second hand, 
you may speedily find your souls dashed among the 
rocks of a miserable skepticism. And do not for- 
get that it will be the most humbling position a soul 
can possibly occupy, to stand at the judgment-seat, 
endeavoring to hide behind some far-famed exposi- 
tor, who has been instrumental in leading you to 
think flilsely of the Book of God. Stand on the 
Rock of Ages, and that on your own feet ; and 
while you feel the firmness and safety of your posi- 
tion, you will be constrained to invite others to 
stand there also, that they may be blessed as well 
as you. ■ 



LECTUKE XIII. 

PREDESTINATION AND A FOREORDAINED JUDGMENT. 

The passage of scripture to which your atten- 
tion is required, under this head, is that found iu 
the Epistle of Jude, at the fourth verse :• " For 
there are certain men, crept in unawares who were 
before of old ordained to this condemnation." 
These words have for many generations, and by 
thousands of men, been regarded as teaching the 
doctrine of reprobation from eternity. As proof 
of this fact, we have only to turn to the acknowl- 
edged standard which constitutes the Confession 
of the vast majority of professing Christians in this 
land of Bibles. The verse before us is quoted as a 
proof of the statement, that "• the rest of mankind " 
(that is, besides the eternally chosen), " God was 
pleased, according to the unsearchable counsel of 
His own will, whereby He extendeth or withhold- 
eth mercy as He pleaseth, for the glory of His sov- 
ereign power over His creatures, to pass by, and to 
ordain them to dishonor and wrath for their sin, to 
the praise of His glorious justice." Such, then, is 
the doctrine that is believed to be taught by Jude 
in the text before us. According to it, millions yet 
unborn are ordained to eternal death ! It is surely 
the duty of every man to sift such a doctrine, and 
especially to see most carefully to it, that the word 
" 19 



218 FREDESTINATION AND 

of God does teach the idea, if it is to be held at all. 
He incurs no slight responsibility who holds such a 
view, if God has never taught him to do so. 

I. Let us consider some scriptural objec- 
tions TO such an interpretation of the pas- 
sage. 

The doctrine is, that the final condemnation of 
those who perish eternally, has been a matter of 
eternal foreordination, so that they may be said to 
have been condemned from eternity to eternity. It 
is the natural and necessary inference from the doc- 
trine, that whatever Jehovah foreknows will take 
place, He has first irrevocably fixed to take place. 
Let us bring this doctrine to the test of the Bible 
itself. 

1. Consider the doctrine as compared with the 
luord of God in Jeremiah xviii. 1-12, The words 
of the prophet there are the loords of God. He 
writes as follows: — "The word which came to Jer- 
emiah from the Lord, saying. Arise, and go down 
to the potter's house ; and there I will cause thee 
to hear my words. Then I went down to the pot- 
ter's house ; and behold, He wrought a woik on the 
wheels. And the vessel that He made of clay was 
marred in the hand of the potter: so He made it 
again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter 
to make it. Then the word of the Lord came to 
me, saying, O house of Israel, can not I do with 
you as this potter? saith the Lord. Behold, as the 
clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, 
O House of Israel. At what instant I shall speak 



A FOREORDAINED JUDGMENT. 219 

concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to 
pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it ; if 
tliat nation against whom I have pronounced turn 
from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I 
thought to do unto them. And at what instant I 
shall speak concerning a nation, and concernhig a 
kingdom, to build, and to plant it ; if it do evil in 
my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will re- 
pent of the good wherewith I said I would benefit 
tliem. Now, therefore, go to, speak to the men of 
Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, 
Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I frame evil against 
you, and devise a device against you ; return ye now 
every one from his evil way, and make your ways 
and your doings good. And they said. There is no 
hope ; but we will walk after our own devices, and 
we will every one do the imagination of his evil 
heart." 

It is most clear that the principle of this passage 
is perfectly irreconcilable with the doctrine that the 
condemnation of the lost is fixed from eternity. 
Only hear Jehovah as He puts the people upon the 
wheel of trial, as the potter does with the clay, 
Mark His words, as He speaks concerning a nation 
" to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it." 
Does He speak as if the matter of condemnation 
were fixed irrevocably from eternity ? Who can 
possibly admit such a fixing in the face of these 
words of God ? Only think of its being known, as 
He used this remarkable parable, that every in- 
stance of condemnation that could take place, had 
been fixed from eternity ! How would the parable 
have looked then ? It is true that those who as- 



220 PREDESTINATION AND 

cribe a secret will to God which differs from His re- 
vealed will, and who are proud to acknowledge 
that they can not pretend to reconcile the two — 
such may hold anything whatever ; but how can 
any one, of sober sense and honesty of mind, be- 
lieve that all this profession on the part of God was 
inconsistent with His own secret desire ? and how 
could the scope and bearing of this passage be con- 
sistent with a decree ordaining certain men to cer- 
tain death ? 

2. Consider the doctrine before us along with 
the word of God in jEJzekiel xviii. 19-32 — "Yet 
say ye. Why? doth not the son bear the iniquity 
of the father ? When the son hath done that which 
is lawful and right, and hath kept all my statutes, 
and hath done them, he shall surely live. The soul 
that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear 
the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father 
bear the iniquity of the son ; the righteousness of 
the righteous sliall be upon hira, and the wicked- 
ness of the wicked shall be upon him. But if the 
wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath com- 
mitted, and keep all my statutes, and do that which 
is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not 
die. All his transgressions that he hath committed, 
they shall not be mentioned unto hira ; in his right- 
eousness that he hath done, he shall live. Have I 
any pleasure at all that the wicked should die ? saith 
the Lord God ; and not that he should return from 
his ways, and live ? But when the righteous turn- 
eth away from his righteousness, and committeth 
iniquity, and doeth according to all the abomina- 
tions that the wicked man doeth, shall he live ? All 



I 



A FOEEORDAINED JUDGMENT. 221 

his rii^hteousness that he hath done shall not be 
mentioned ; in his trespass that he hath trespassed, 
and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he 
die. Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not eqaal. 
Hear now, O house of Israel, Is not my way equal ? 
are not your ways unequal ? Wlien a righteous 
man turneth away from his righteousness, and com- 
mitteth iniquity, and dieth in them ; for his iniquity 
that he hath done shall he die. Again, when the 
wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that 
he hatli committed, and doeth that which is lawful 
and right, he shall save his soul alive. Because he 
considereth, and turneth away from all his trans- 
gressions that he hath committed, he shall surely 
live, he shall not die. Yet saith the house of Isra- 
el, The way of the Lord is not equal. O house of 
Israel, are not my ways equal ? are not your ways 
unequal? Therefore I will judge you, O house of 
Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the 
Lord God. Repent, and turn yourselves from all 
your transgressions, so iniquity shall not be your 
ruin. Cast away from you all your transgressions, 
whereby you have transgressed ; and make you a 
new heart, and a new spirit; for why will ye die, O 
house of Israel ? For I have no pleasure in the 
death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God ; where- 
fore turn yourselves and live ye." 

Now, surely, if the idea of an eternal fixing of 
the death of the wicked were a truth, we may well 
ask, how can you imagine the force of sincerity as 
existing in that most solemn appeal of God ? Only 
let us suppose the case of a man who should pos- 
sess a thousand slaves, and he professes to govern 
19* 



222 PREDESTINATION AND 

tbern on principles of strictest equity. Well, he 
writes down the names of three hundred of them 
in a book, and writes over these his own unaltera- 
ble decree that they ehall live; and he writes down 
the seven hundred in another book, determining un- 
alterably that they shall die. And having done so, 
he goes forth among his slaves, and gives utterance 
to such an appeal as that before us — What would 
you think of such a master? Would it better the 
case to suppose that his slaves were all criminals, 
and that he had a secret power by which he could 
easily turn the heart of the criminal, and without 
w^hich that heart could not be turned, — that he had 
determined to carry out the decrees he had writ- 
ten, by giving and withholding this power? Does 
not the heart sicken at such a representation of 
ma/2, and yet, how shall any one show the feature 
m which it is a misrepresentation of the idea formed 
of God, and solemnly stated in the confession of the 
majority of Scottish Christians? Hear, my hearer, 
the doctrine of eternally foreordained condemna- 
tion, and read, and ponder the words of God by 
Ezekiel, and see if you can believe them both. If 
you can, your faith may be wrong " in kind," but 
it is surely mighty in strength ! No ; we reject 
with indignation the idea that He who appealed to 
the fact tiiat He was ready and most solicitous to 
alter the sentence of death, could have tixed that 
sentence by an etei-nal and unalterable decree. 

3. Consider the doctrine before us in connection 
loith the appeal of God in Ezekiel xxxiii. 1-20 — 
" Again the word of the Lord came unto me, say- 
ing, Son of man, speak to the children of thy peo- 



A FOREORDAINED JUDGMENT. 223 

pie, and say unto tliera, When I bring the sword 
upon a hind, if the people of the land take a man 
of their coasts, and set him for their watchman — if, 
when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he 
blow the trumpet, and warn the people ; then, who- 
soever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and tak- 
eth not warning; if the sword come and take him 
away, his blood shall be upon his own head. He 
heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warn- 
ing ; his blood shall be upon him : but he that tak- 
eth warning shall deliver his soul. But if the watch- 
man see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, 
and the people be not warned ; if the sword come, 
and take any person from among them, he is taken 
away in his iniquity ; but his blood will I require at 
the watchman's hand. So thou, O son of man, I 
have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; 
therefore, thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, 
and warn them from me. When I say unto the 
wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die ; if 
thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his 
way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity ; but 
his blood will I require at thine hand. Neverthe- 
less, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn 
from it ; if he do not turn from his way, he shall 
die in his iniquity ; but thou hast delivered thy soul. 
Therefore, O thoa son of man, speak unto the house 
of Israel, Thus ye speak, saying, If our transgres- 
sions and oar sins be upon us, and we pine away in 
them, how should we then live? Say unto them. 
As I live, saith the Lord Grod, I have no pleasure in 
the death of the wicked ; but that the wicked turn 
from his way and live : turn ye, turn ye from your 



224 PREDESTINATION AND 

evil ways ; for why will ye die, O house of Israel ? 
Therefore, thou son of man, say unto the children 
of thy people, The righteousness of the rigliteons 
shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression ; 
as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not 
fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his 
wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to 
live for his righteousness in the day that he simieth. 
When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall 
surely live ; if he trust to his own righteousness, 
and commit iniquity, all his righteousness shall not 
be remembered ; but for his iniquity that he hath 
committed, he shall die for it. Again, when I say 
unto the wicked, Thoa shalt surely die ; if he turn 
from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right ; 
if the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he 
had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without 
committing iniquity ; he shall surely live, he shall 
not die. None of his sins that he hath committed, 
shall be mentioned unto him ; he hath done that 
which is lawful and right, he shall surely live. Yet 
the children of thy people say, The way of the Lord 
is not equal ; but as for them, their way is not 
equal. When the righteous turneth from his right- 
eousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die 
thereby. But if the wicked turn from his wicked- 
ness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall 
live thereby. Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is 
not equal. O ye house of Israel, I will judge you 
every one after his ways." 

There are several jDoints of immense moment in 
this passage. Firsts observe the appointment of 
the watchman. For what purpose is he appointed ? 



A FOREORDAINED JUDGMENT. 225 

Is it not to prevent the death of tliose who are ex- 
posed to the sword ? ISTo doubt this is the design 
of his ap])ointment. Is it, then, to prevent the ful- 
iilhnent of a divine decree tliat he is placed on the 
watch-tower? But what is his crime? If the 
watchman fail to give warning, and the people of 
his cliarge perish— What is his crime? Is it that 
of not doing his utmost to prevent the accomplish- 
ment of an unalterable decree of God ? if the 
doctrine before us be true, this is his crime. But 
passing from the watchman to his God, — On what 
principle are we to understand His most solemn pro- 
testation, that He has " no pleasure in the death 
of the wicked ? " Are we to hold that the accom- 
plishment of that which He was pleased to ordain, 
is no pleasure to Him? How can you compare the 
doctrine of the Confession, and that of this passage, 
without seeing that they are perfect contradictions. 
To say that black is white is not more palpably a 
contradiction, than to say that "God pleased to or- 
dain the death of the wicked, and that He has no 
pleasure in that death ! To pretend that there is 
" mystery " in such a case is just equivalent to the 
conduct of the man who should say tliat night is 
day ; and when contradicted, he should shield him- 
self by the wretched pretense that his words con- 
tained a mystery. He that should be imposed oa 
by such a subterfuge, would be simple indeed. The 
only way in which I have seen it attempted to get 
rid of this difficulty otherwise, is, by holding that 
the " wicked " here are not to be taken for any but 
the elect wicked. Calvin says regarding Ezekiel 
xxxiii. 11 : — "If this be extended to all mankind, 



226 PREDESTINATION AND 

why does He not urge many to repentance, whose 
minds are more flexible to obedience than others 
who grow more and more callous to His daily invi- 
tations?"* And hence he goes deliberately to 
work to i^how, that it is only the elect wicked in 
whose death Jehovah has no pleasure. But such an 
attempt at evasion only renders matters worse, in- 
asmuch as the whole force of the passage is direct- 
ed to those who shall be judged according to their 
own ways. The Lord is speaking of those who 
shall " die in their iniquity," and hence, ca?i not be 
sjDeaking of the elect. We, then, most earnestly 
request the hearer to take up the doctrine supposed 
to be taught in the passage before us — lay it side by 
side with those passages of the Bible — study both 
most carefully — see if, doing your very best, you 
can bring them into a position in which they will 
not mutually condemn each other. See thus the 
pressing necessity for undeisstanding the text before 
us on other principles. 

Before proceeding to the text it may be well to 
notice in passing, a difficulty that arises in the mind 
in reading the passages I have now quoted. It is 
that of forgiveness and death being apparently sus- 
pended upon the penitence or impenitence of the 
sinner. It is that of the destiny of the sinner ap- 
part^ntly depending upon his loorks^ and not upon 
the atonement. To obviate this difficulty, the hear- 
er has only to remember that the God who speaks 
in these passages is a propitiated judge, and thus 
He speaks upon the understanding of the atone- 
ment. The sacrifice was continually before the 
* Institutes, b. iii. 



A FOREORDAIXED JUDGMENT. 227 

minds of those to whom He addressed Himself; 
and it could not fail to be seen by them, that the 
pardon of the sinner on his turning from sin, was 
upon the ground and understanding of this atone- 
ment. 

n. Let us now examine the real meaning 

OF THE TEXT CHIEFLY BEFORE US. 

In order clearly to ascertain the real meaning and 
intention of the apostle in this verse, it is only nec- 
essary to examine its connection with those that fol- 
low it. 

1. What is the condemnation spoken off Jude 
says that the persons of whom he speaks "were be- 
fore of old ordained to this condemnation.'''' It is 
most important that we understand the real bear- 
ins: of these words. It is not difficult for the hear- 
er to glance over the whole epistle, and see the only 
condemnation mentioned in it. You will see tliat 
it is the execution of judgment which God, as a 
Judge, inflicts upon the finally impenitent. In the 
fifth verse he speaks of the destruction of those in 
Egypt " who believed not?'' In the sixth verse he 
speaks of the punishment of the angels who kept 
not their first estate. In the seventh verse he men- 
tions the ruin of the people of Sodom and Gomor- 
rah, as the vengeance of eternal fire. And in the 
fifteenth verse he describes the last judgment. All 
these verses lead us to one thing, and that is the 
final and eternal condemnation of the soul. Expos- 
itors are perfectly right in saying that this passage 
speaks of everlasting condemnation, and if it were 



228 PREDESTINATION AND 

correctly expounded in its other parts as it is in 
this, tlieir doctrine would have foundation. 

2. What is the natare of the foreordination 
here spoken off Tiiis leads us to tlie most impor- 
tant part of all ; and I shall endeavor to answer the 
question, first, by showing the real meaning of the 
word used by Jude, and then by attending to his 
description of the foreordination of which lie speaks. 
I remark, then, that the word here translated " be- 
fore ordained," can not be applied to a secret de- 
cree. It has the meaning of a public proclamation, 
as one of its essential features. In proof of this I 
may quote some of those instances in which it oc- 
curs in the New Testament. Rom. xv. 4, — " For 
whatsoever things were icritten aforetime^ were 
written for our learning." This phrase, "written 
aforetime," is the translation of the word in the text 
before us, rendered " before ordained." Now try 
to form the idea of the things written for universal 
learning being secret. Again, Gal. iii. 1 — " Before 
whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set 
forih^ crucified, among you." The words, " hath 
been evidently set forth," are the translation of the 
word translated in Jude, " before ordained.'''' Now 
try to form a conception of agreement between a 
thing being " evidently set forth," and its being se- 
cretly foreoriiained ! can one word signify both of 
these ? Why make such a monstrous diiference in 
the rendering of a word ? We can not but believe 
that the system which requires such translations is 
frail indeed. 

We may now ask if the connection at all permits 
such a wide departure from the ordinary usage of 



A FOEEORDAINED JUDGMENT. 229 

language, as to render the word which usually sig- 
nities a public proclamation, by a " secret decree ? " 
This leads us to apply to the epistle, in order that 
we may see whether there is any public proscrip- 
tion mentioned. You find it in the fourteenth and 
fifteenth verses. " And Enoch also, the seventh 
from Adam, prophesied of them, saying, Behold 
the Lord cometh with ten thousand of His saints 
to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all 
that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly 
deeds," etc. Now here is a proscription^ a public 
proclamation consigning all that are ungodly to 
condemnation. This is manifestly the proscription 
which was given of old, and to which the apostle 
refers. It is the proscription of a class bearing a 
certain specified character ; and it is manifestly 
given for the purpose of warning all to leave that 
class, ere the day of final retribution come. This 
is just as different from a secret decree, fixing the 
condemnation of a certain portion of men from 
eternity, as infinite love is from the most inexplica- 
ble tyranny. And it is truly relieving to the soul 
to see that the Bible is most eminently consistent 
with itself. Let us take au illustration of the di- 
vei-sity between these two ideas : — Let us suppose 
a king whose power is absolute, and he has millions 
of subjects. He takes two immense rolls, and, in 
secret, he writes down one portion of his people in 
one, and another portion in the other roll. There, 
then, are the naraes of the people in two enormous 
lists. Over the one list he writes " life," and over 
the other, "death;" and fixes "the destinies of 
each individual according to his pleasure ! Well, 
20 



230 PREDESTINATION AND 

suppose another king who has as many subjects, and 
he issues a very simple proclamation declaring the 
portion that he has provided for those who follow 
the will of their king, and another proclamation 
declaring the doom of those who persist in rebel- 
lion. He iwoscrihes every rebel, but he does so 
puhlidy / that all may flee from the ranks of rebel- 
lion. Is there not immense distance between the 
conduct of these two kings? Such is the distance 
between the usual view of the decree of God, 
and that really given by Jude. Even as early as 
Enoch, a public proclamation existed, declaring the 
doom of the ungodly. It was made most public, 
and hence the perfect inexcusableness of those who 
still continued to be ungodly ; because the moment 
they ceased to be ungodly persons, that moment 
they ceased to be proscribed persons. 

III. Consider particularly the scripture 

TRUTH taught IN THIS PASSAGE. 

That truth is of incalculable importance to those 
that are still without God. 

1. Sow remarkable the warning that loicJced 
men have got! Jude says that they were pro- 
scribed to condemnation long ago — aye, even so 
far back as the days of Enoch, the condemnation 
of tlie ungodly was publicly proclaimed to the 
world. Every succeeding age has not only had the 
opportunity of reading this proscription, but has 
also had its own particular proscription of the 
ungodly. Thus has Jehovah been keeping the 
warning truth before the eyes of men, in a man- 



A FOREORDAINED JUDGMENT. 231 

ner more powerful than if He had written it on 
the sky ; and thus Tias He shown His own deep 
desire that they should flee from the ranks of 
the condemned. O ! my hearer, if you are still 
ungodly do not forget-that you are so, in the very 
face of Jehovah's public proclamation, that tlie 
wages of sin is death. Do not forget that you are 
keeping over your own head His fearful threat- 
ening, by keeping yourself among those who have 
been the condemned from the beginning of the 
world. 

2. How inexcusable the continued ungodliness 
of those who live at the present time! They have 
the experience of the world, and the teaching and 
warning of God during all generations, coming up- 
on them in combined energy, and yet they go on 
to the fatal hour of judgment in the face of all. It 
was folly to resist the truth, even when Enoch 
spake ; how much more so now ? Innumerable 
souls have perished since then, — innumerable in- 
stances have demonstrated the certainty of the ruin 
to the ungodly ; and all these are before the eyes 
of those who are ungodly now ! O ! how will the 
soul, tha't passes unprepared to the judgment from 
this age, be able to look up at all ? How will any 
one be able to answer the fearful question, — How 
could you remain ungodly in defiance of the voice 
of so many ages, and that but the descending echo 
of the voice of God? My hearer, be warned in 
time. As yet your soul is as free to the love of 
God as if you had never sinned. No unalterable 
decree hinders your present and eternal safety ; — 
nothing can hinder it but your own will. Jehovah 



232 PREDESTINATION, ETC. 

is waiting for you — longing for you — pleading for 
you to be reconciled ; and the united warning of 
all the warning truth that has been delivered to 
mankind, is used to urge you to flee from the wrath 
to come. 



LEOTUKE XI Y. 

PREDESTINATION AND THE BOOK OF LIFE. 

The words of Scripture wliich we are called to 
consider in this lecture, are found in Rev. xvii. 8 — 
" And they who dwell on the earth shall wonder 
(whose names were not written in the book of life 
from the foundation of the world.)" This is a pre- 
diction having reference to a great coming delu- 
sion ; and the declaration is, that those whose names 
were not written in the book of life from the foun- 
dation of tlie woi'ld, shall be carried away with the 
delusion, and shall " worship " (chap. xiii. 8) the 
great deceiver of men. It is not our business at 
present to say what paiticiular delusion this is ; but 
to take up the description given of those who are 
to be led off by the deceiver. The doctrine of 
"jt?re?m^^o?^," as it is called, or of God's " passing 
by " millions of men and leaving them out of His 
decree of life, is supposed to be contained here ; 
and it is with this aspect of the doctrine of repro- 
bation that we liave to do in considering this pas- 
sage. The nature of the doctiine itself, is stated 
thus — "God, by an eternal and immutable decree, 
out of His mere love, for the praise of His glorious 
grace, to be manifested in due time, hath elected 
some angels to glory ; and in Christ hath chosen 
some men to life, and the means thereof; and also, 



234 PREDESTINATION AND 

according to His sovereign power, and the un- 
searchable counsel of His own will (whereby He ex- 
tendeth or withholdeth favor as He pleaseth), hath 
passed hy and foreordained the rest to dishonor 
and wrath, to be for their sin inflicted to the praise 
of His glorious justice."* In explaining this doc- 
trine, an author of the most extensive, and still 
mighty influence in Scotland, says of the reprobate, 
that God " did not write their names in the book 
of life, or maik them out for His sheep, people, and 
subjects, and objects, and vessels of mercy ; and, in 
consequence hereof, determined to withhold from 
them the undeserved favor of redemption and re- 
conciliation through Christ, and of efi"ectual calling, 
justification, adoption, faith, and holiness."! Such, 
then, is the sentiment supposed to be the doctrine 
of the passage before us, for it is quoted as a proof, 
by this same author, that God has from eternity 
written the names of the smaller number " of men 
in the book of life." The idea is clearly this-— that 
there is a book of life — that certain names have 
been written there from eternity — that certain 
others have been left out from eternity — that the list 
has been thus eternally complete — none can be add- 
ed to it, and none taken away. Now, this is the 
doctrine which we require to consider in connection 
with the passage before us. 

T. Let us consider some scriptural objec- 
tions TO THIS doctrine. 

By these we shall be enabled to perceive the real 

* Larger Catechism, Q. 13 th. 
f Brown's Diet. Decree. 



THE BOOK OF LIFE. 235 

meaning of the passage much more definitely than 
otherwise. 

1. The doctrine in question is utterly inconsis- 
tent with the threatening of God to blot the name 
of the si?i7ier out of the book of life. It is, indeed, 
the very foundation of the doctrine, tliat blotting 
out of that book is absolutely impossible ; just as 
the insertion of any name not now in it is also im- 
possible. How, then, does this agree with the fol- 
lowing passages of Scripture. Exodus xxxii. 31- 
33 — " And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, 
Oh ! this people have sinned a great sin, and have 
made them gods of gold. Yet now, if thou wilt 
forgive their sin : and if not, blot me, I pray thee, 
out of thy book which thou hast written." And the 
Lord said unto Moses, " Whosoever hath sinned 
against me, hi?7i loill I blot out of my book.''"' Is it 
possible to believe that the names were written in 
the book here spoken of by an unalterable decree ? 
God says, " I will blot jout of my book.'*'' Who 
shall re])ly to God, ^'' It is impossible?'''' Who shall 
declare that to be unalterable which He says is al- 
terable^ and which He declares He will alter? But 
we have a statement of still greater effect in Rev. 
iii. 5. Hei'e Jesus says, "He that overcometh shall 
be clotlied in white raiment, and I loill not blot out 
his name out of the book of life., but I will confess 
his name before my Father, and before His angels." 
Now Jesus must have been here speaking of a real 
blessing, not of an imaginary one ; and if it were 
true, that no name could possibly be blotted out of 
the book of life, what is the real force of His words? 
Simply that He would not do that which is impossi- 



236 PREDESTINATION AND 

ble. If the names in the book of life, are the names 
of those predestinated by an unalterable decree to 
stand there, it is impossible either to understand 
the threatening to Moses, or the promise here giv- 
en, as of any force whatever. To make this fully 
clear, suppose that you have six servants, and that 
you write down three of their names in a book, 
with the nnalterable determination of keeping these 
three, and dismissing the rest ; will you ever tliink 
of threatening, or promising anything, as to blot- 
ting out, or not blotting out of these names? If 
you do, it can not be in sincerity ; simply because 
it can not be according to truth. The threatening 
to blot out, involves and conveys to those that 
hear it, the alter ableness of the list ; and if the list 
is unaltei-able, the threatening is virtually a false- 
hood. I insist, therefore, that it is impossible to be- 
lieve the doctrine before us, and also to recognize 
the sincerity of God in the passages quoted. But 
these are not all. Rev. xxii. 19, is fully as much to 
the point as either of those quoted. There John 
says — "And if any man shall take away from the 
words of the prophecy of this book, God shall take 
away his part out of the book of life, and out of 
the holy city, and from the things which are writ- 
ten in this book." Surely, we must regard this as 
a real threatening. Or are we to regard it in the 
light of the universal demonstration of love spoken 
of by a popular preacher, and already quoted? 
Must we have recourse to the notion that it is a 
threatening, " names and numbers being suppress- 
ed," but that it ceases to be so the moment the 
names are revealed ? We take our stand upon the 



THE BOOK OF LIFE. 237 

very first principles of truth and reason, and Scrip- 
ture too, when we say that there can be no such 
threatenings with God. The very thought is infa- 
mous. It ought to be sufficient to sink for ever the 
reputation of the system that gives it birth and 
nourishment. Take, then, the threatening of God 
as real^ and He declares that He v/ill take the part 
of the man, who takes away from this book, out of 
the book of hfe. We have, then, most unquestion- 
able ground for rejecting the idea, that the book of 
life is the list of the eternally predestinated. Such 
a doctrine can not stand the test of the threaten- 
ings and promises to which we have now referred. 

2. The doctrine that all the nanus written in 
the book of life were there from eternity^ and by 
Jehovah?s pleasure and decree^ is tctterly inconsis- 
tent loith the punishment assigned for the crime of 
not being found there. It is surely impossible for 
any one to suppose that God will punish a man eter- 
nally, for not having his name in His eternal decree 
ot" salvation. In Rev. xx. 14, 15, we have the fol- 
lowing words : "And death and hell were cast into 
the lake of fire. This is the second death. And 
whosoever was not found written in the book oflife^ 
was cast into the lake of tire." Here, then, we are 
told, that the reason why men are at last cast into 
eternal fire, is, that their names are not written in 
the book of life. The one only crime mentioned, as 
fitting them for eternal death, is this, — their names 
are not in this book. This is the sum of all their 
guilt, and the cause of their perishing for ever. 
Now are you, my hearer, prepared to believe that 
Jehovah will cast men into eternal fire, because 



238 PEEDESTINATION AND 

their names are not found where they never were, 
and where it was no more possible for them to place 
them, than it is possible for man to reverse the de- 
crees of God ? If, according to the doctrine before 
us, these men had no conceivable control over their 
names being there or not, then ca.n you believe that 
they perish eternally because their names are not 
in that book ? Try to reconcile these two doc- 
trines, — that God above can put a name in the book 
of life or keep it there, and yet that men will be 
cast into hell, because their names are not found in 
that eternal roll. You may attempt the reconcilia- 
tion, but with what success? You may shroud it 
in the idea of " mystery ; " but the " mystery " is 
only too shallow, or too clear, as it can not hide the 
horrid deformity of the doctrine of sending men to 
eternal hell for not having their names in an eternal 
decree. You may speak of "incomprehensibles" 
■ — Alas ! this doctrine is only too easily compre- 
hended. The idea that God should eternally pun- 
ish men for not setting down their names in His 
book an eternity before they were born, is certainly 
not a wide idea; it is narrow, and most unlike that 
unfathomable love that gave the Son of God to die 
for a whole world. It is comprehensible as a horrid 
absurdity, and that "only. 

3. It is entirely an assumed matte?' that this 
book of life existed before men existed. You will 
observe that it is not said from before the founda- 
tion of the world. It is only from the foundation 
of the world. There is no ground here for suppos- 
ing that there was a book of life for men before men 
lived. We have yet to see what the book of life i«, 



THE BOOK OF LIFE. 239 

and lohen the list in it began to be filled up, and 
purged of tliose requiring to be blotted out of it ; 
but it is inost important to observe, and to reflect 
upon tlie observation, that the whole fabric of the 
doctrine of an eternal book of life, rests upon a per- 
fectly gratuitous assumption. Try, my hearer, to 
find out one word, in the text now before us, to 
warrant the idea of the existence of this list of 
names before men existed, and your utmost effort 
will not furnish you with one. Now it is too bad 
to found a doctrine, and, in defense of it, to ask 
men to accept, on pain of perdition itself, the most 
gross inconsistencies, wlien all the ground upon 
which you lay a foundation-stone, is simply — noth- 
ing. A doctrine that calls so loudly upon us as to 
demand the laying aside of our common sense, and 
the reason which God has mercifully spared to us, 
should have/ some firmer ground. " From, or since 
the foundation of the world" — must mean " from 
eternity I " If it can not, then where is the foun- 
dation for the story of an eternal book of life ? 
Where? Where? Will muttering mystery an- 
swer? No. It must leave the echo to answer on- 
ly — '•'"where f ''"' O! it is impossible to speak in 
terras too strong in view of thousands groping in 
the darkness of uncertainty, trying in vain to read 
their names in the book of life — kept in this dark- 
ness by a doctrine that has no better ground to rest 
upon, than the assertions of its advocates. It is piti- 
ful to think of men casting off Christianity, because 
that holy truth has been masked^ by pretended 
friends, with this fearful doctrine of predestination ; 
when any one might have the doctrine sent to the 



240 PREDESTIN-ATION" AND 

winds l)y only asking for, and sifting its pretended 
scriptural authority. 

II. Let us now considkr the real meaning 

OP THIS PASSAGE REGARDING THE BOOK OF LIFE. 

Having endeavored to remove the rubbish, we 
are better prepared to see the beauty of ti'uth, and 
to feel its warning and cheering power. 

1. The hook of life is the list of the living. 
What other idea can we form from the words be- 
fore us in the text, than just that of a list of those 
who now are livings and distinguished from those 
who are dead. Tliere are two lists — the one of the 
living, the other of the dead, and the book before 
us is the list of the living. It is the list of those 
who are not, wliile in that list, as yet consigned to 
death. This idea of the book of life, or of the 
scroll of the living, is the only definite idea that we 
can form in accordance with those passages of Scrip- 
ture which we have been called to notice. Tliis 
idea agrees with the words of God to Moses ; when 
He said, "Him that hath sinned against me will I 
blot out of my book," He manifestly uttered the 
same strntiment as that which He uttered when He 
said — " The soul that siuneth it shall die." The 
soul is regarded as living, and as yet among the 
living, and its name in the list of the living ; but 
the threatening is, that sinning, it shall die, and 
thus be blotted from the list of those that live. In 
the sixty-ninth Psalm, we have an idea exactly the 
same as that before us, and such as shows us the 
meaning of the book of life, verse 25 — " Let them 



THE BOOK OF LIFE. 241 

be blotted out of the book of the living, and not 
be written with the righteous." Here it is manifest 
that the Psalmist regards the book of the living as 
simply the number of those who are not consigned 
to death, but who, because of their fearful guilt, 
would yet be so. He has no notion of an unchange- 
able list, from which no one can be subtracted, and 
to which none can be added. Far less could he 
have the idea of two lists, one consisting of those 
doomed to death before they were born, and an- 
other of those predestinated to life. The book of 
life here stands before us in the persons of living 
men, not yet consigned to death by the God who 
made them. 

2. It must he plain that this has been a list ever 
since man luas created. Ever since there were liv- 
ing beings, there was a list of the living — a scroll 
of life, from which it was possible that names might 
be blotted out by the sentence of a righteous God. 
The Psalmist leads us by a two-fold expression to 
see whose names were allowed to stand on this 
book, and whose were struck out. He says — " writ- 
ten with the righteous.'*'' These were the class 
whose names remained in the book of life — " the 
wicked " were struck from it. But this leads us to 
a much more clear idea still, inasmuch as it leads us 
to the question — Who are " righteous " in the sight 
of God ? The answer is, those only who have not 
sinned, and those who appear in the robe of right- 
eousness of Jesus. No human being can stand as 
the living^ or on the list of life, in the sight of God, 
who is not standing on the ground of the Saviour's 
sacrifice. Hence, this book of life is expressly call- 



242 PREDESTINATION AND 

ed the book of life of the slain Lamb. (Rev. xiii. 
8.) Those written in this book, therefore, are those 
who stand in a position of safety and life, through 
the death of Jesus. They are the list of the living 
who live because He died for them. Those that 
are blotted out from this list, are those who reject 
the atonement of Jesus, and choose to meet Jeho- 
vah on the ground of their own works, or to bid 
Him defiance by their continued. sin. The figure, 
therefore, of a scroll of names, and of the blotting 
out of names from this list of the living, is one of 
great force, and such as sends home its warning 
power to every heart. O ! my hearer, is your name 
among the list of those who live by the blood of 
the Lamb ? Or have you good reason to think that 
you are blotted out of that list, and " condemned 
already." This is the question of questions for you. 
Let it not be evaded. 

3. JLet us now consider lohose Jiames have been 
at least once in this book of- life. The usual idea 
of a certain number being written here from all 
eternity by the decree of God, and of the rest be- 
ing left out, is, we have seen, wrong. And we 
shall see, from many considerations, that every 
man's name has been at least once in this book of 
life. It will now be generally granted that those 
dying in infancy are saved — tliat all such are saved 
— til at so far as the sin of the first Adam affects 
them for evil, the atonement of the second Adam 
proves their remedy, and hence as those who have 
never had it in their power to reject the Saviour, 
they live for ever through Him.* This may be dis- 
* Dr. Russell on Infant Salvation. 



THE BOOK OF LIFE. 243 

puted, but it can not be overturned. Now, seeing 
that an infant dying in infancy is safe, and rises from 
the grave because of the resurrection of Jesus, just 
as it died in consequence of the sin of Adarii ; must 
not that infant have been born to stand upon the 
list of the living, and that the list too of the slain 
Lamb ? But if we apply, as we must, this princi- 
ple to those infants that die, on what ground can 
we withhold it from those that live ? They are 
born in every respect on the same footing ; and the 
idea that God, who is no respecter of persons, will 
bring an infant into the world decreed to live for 
ever, and another decreed to die for ever, is simply, 
as we have already fully seen, an infamous libel on 
His holy character. Here, then, we have it clear 
before us, that all men are born upon the list of 
life of the Lamb slain. Yes, my hearer, you were 
once an infant ; and, had you died then, you would 
have opened your immortal eyes in glory; and your 
first sight would have been Jesus your Saviour, and 
best friend. Then you stood in the list of the 
saved and living — your name was upon the book 
of life. Where is it noio f As an infant you stood 
befoi'e God on the ground of the work of Jesus, 
for you had not been born but for that work — now 
that you are an inteUigent and free creature, have 
you renounced, or willfully refrained from taking 
that ground ? Then dream not of your name be- 
ing in the book of life. 

4. Consider now what it is that takes a mail's' 
name from this hook of life. " He that believeth 
hath everlasting life ; " and, consequently, his name 
must stand on the list of the living, and that the 



244 PREDESTINATION AND 

list of the slain Lamb. "-He that helieveth not is 
condemned already^'''' and can his name be on that 
list ? It is impossible. The condemned man is 
struck from the book of the living by the sentence 
of death being passed upon him. Think, then, my 
hearer, of being "condemned already ^^"^ and see if 
it be possible to conceive of the name of him, who 
is condemned already, standing upon the list of 
those who have eternal life. But when does his 
name cease to be among the living? He is con- 
demned already, ''^because he has not believed on 
the only-begotten Son of God." It is the refusal 
to credit the gospel, and the rejectio7i of Jesus, that 
strike the name from the list of the living. The 
moment you become capable of receiving Jesus as 
the ground of acceptance with God, and in the 
sight of Jehovah refuse ^im.^ and take your stand 
upon other ground, you are condemned. Your 
name that in infancy stood on the book of life, 
ceases to be there any longer. You are numbered 
with transgressors. You are condemned. You 
are " dead " by the sentence of your God. The 
name of an unbehever is not found in the book of 
life. It would be absurdity to say to any there, 
they are " condemned," or that, " the wrath of God 
abideth on them." We see, then, clearly, what it 
is that takes a name from the Lamb's book of life, 
O ! my hearer, this is a different doctrine from the 
idea that you have no control upon your name 
being in that book, or out of it. If your name 
is not there, you have taken it out. It is by your 
own act that you stand among the condemned. 
5. Consider^ then^ what class of men are before 



THE BOOK OF LIFE. 245 

US in the passage chiefly under 7iotice. It is most 
manifestly as a class of character that they are 
named— it is as those who, having refused to be- 
lieve on Jesus, are exposed to the power of the de- 
ceiver. The difficulty connected with the text, is 
the same as that connected with a passage which 
we have already considered. It is the difficulty 
arivsing from looking to the persons spoken of as 
individuals and not as a class : " Who were before 
of old ordained to this condemnation." This at 
once leads the mind to fancy that the individuals 
immediately before us were proscribed before they 
were born; whereas, when we read the proscrip- 
tion itself, as written by Enoch, we see that it was 
the CLASS, and not particular individuals that were 
proscribed, and tliat so soon as an individual ceased 
to belong to the class, he ceased to be affected by 
the proscription, or to be alluded to in the mention 
of it ; and so soon as an individual entered the class, 
the proscription then affected and included him. So 
is it in the case before us. Rejecters of Jesus, as a 
class, have not been found in the book of life since 
the foundation of the world. This applies to no 
man unless as an unbeliever. The moment he 
ceases from rejecting Jesus, he ceases to be alluded 
to in the statement. It has no application to in- 
fants. These have been written in that book ever 
since it was in existence and they together. But 
the moment a human being passes from this class, 
without believing in Jesus and in Jehovah as a pro- 
pitiated God, he passes from the class whose names 
are in the book of life ; and the moment that he 
ceases to belong to the condemned class, by receiv- 
21* 



246 PREDESTINATION, ETC. 

ing Jesus as the ground of his acceptance with 
God, the declaration of the text ceases from in- 
cluding hiui. Every other view of this passage will 
be found to involve absurdity, and nothing can be 
clearer than that as this is the view that must be 
taken of the proscription, so it is that which must 
be taken of the book of life. 

6. IVe see now^ in conclusion^ who they are that 
" loonder " at^ and " loorship " delusion. They are 
not some poor unfortunates whose narae^ were left 
out of the purpose of God in eternity, and who 
could no more help this than they could have crea- 
ted the world before they had existed; but they 
are those who have rejected the slain Lamb, and 
who in rejecting Him, have taken their names and 
their part from the book of life. It is the absence 
of Jesus from the mind that ever exposes it to de- 
lusion. It is the want of tlie anchor of the soul, 
that leaves it to be tossed upon every passing wave, 
and driven before every passing wind. Most pow- 
erfully, then, does this argue the necessity of believ- 
ing in Jesus. Most clearly does it show, that all are 
welcome to enter among the saved. All are wel- 
come to believe in Jesus. O ! my hearer, try this, 
as not only peace to the soul, but as an effectual bar 
to every error that can enter your mind ; you will 
find that the soul that is safe in the possession of the 
Lamb slain, is safe indeed. Millions of delusions 
may present themselves, or be presented to the soul, 
but if that soul h full oilhe. glory of Jesus, they are 
presented in vain. Thus, among the list of those 
whose life is a life of faith on the Son of God, tempta- 
tion will fall powerless upon your preoccupied mind. 



LECTUKE XV. 

PEEDESTINATION" AS FOUND IN" THE BIBLE. 

In this lecture, our attention will be directed 
chiefly to Ephesians i. 5 — " Saving predestinated 
us to the ado2^tio7i of children by Jesus Christ to 
Himself^ according to the good pleasure of His 
will?'' We shall also consider in connection with thig, 
the only other passages in which predestination is 
mentioned in the Bible, as applicable to men them- 
selves. Rom. viii. 2 9, 30, and Eph. i. 11. The ex- 
amination of these passages together, will enable us 
to see the whole Scripture doctrine of the predes- 
tination of men. 

Before proceeding to examine the real meaning 
of these passages, however, it may be well to re- 
move the vail that has been cast upon them by 
those who have borrowed Bible words to designate 
a doctrine the very opposite of Bible truth. The 
following is the plain broad statement of the doc- 
trine of predestination supposed by Calvin to be 
taught in these, and kindred passages: "Predesti- 
nation," he says, " we call the eternal decree of 
God, by which He hath determined in Himself 
what He would have to become of every individual 
of inankind. For they are not all created with a 
similar destiny, but eternal life is foreordained for 
some, and eternal damnation for others. Every 



248 PREDESTINATION 

man, therefore, being created for one or other of 
these ends, we say, he is predestinated either to life 
or to death."* This is as clear and honest a state- 
ment of tlie most fearful of doctrines, as could pos- 
sibly be desired, and its clearness enables us to meet 
it much more easily and certaiuly by a most distinct 
denial from the Word of God itself. You will see 
clearly that, according to this docti-ine, men are cre- 
ated in a predestinated condition to life or death. 

I. Let us consider some reasons for refus- 
ing TO REGARD THIS DOCTRINE AS THAT TAUGHT IN 

THE PASSAGES BEFORE US. 

These reasons will be found to be such as to ren- 
der it impossible to regard the doctrine of those 
passages, and that which we have quoted, as the 
same. 

1. The persons spohen of in liomans viii. 29, 
30, are those who love God. This is seen most un- 
deniably from the 28th verse — " And we know that 
all things work together for good to those that love 
God^ to them who are the called according to His 
purpose." This is the character given of those who 
are said to be predestinated. Now, how can we 
apply this character to those who are yet without 
God, and lying in wickedness. According to the 
doctrine in question, those now in an ungodly state, 
who shall be saved at some future time, are predes- 
tinated. How can this be inferred from the predes- 
tination of those who love God ? The Bible speaks 
of those who bear this character, and of such 07ily, 
* Calvin's Inst., book iii. chap. xxiv. 



AS FOUND IN THE BIBLE. 249 

as predestinated — how can any man infer from this 
that others who have no love to God, but hate Him, 
are predestinated also ? 

2. Further, those loho are spoken of as predes- 
tined by Paul^ are declared to be justified. " Wlio 
shall lay anytliing to the charge of God's elect ? 
It is God that jusitiHeth, who is he that condemn- 
eth? " Such is the state of those whom Paul says 
are predestinated. Is this the state of all that shall 
be saved? Are they all justified f Are we to be- 
lieve in the monster absurdity of eternal justitioa- 
tion ? Can no one lay anything to the charge of 
those who are " the children of wrath even as 
others," and on whom "the wrath of God" is said 
to abide? No one can doubt that many will yet 
believe who are now unbelievers, and thus many 
who are condemned now will yet be justified ; but 
are we to believe that all such are now justified ? 
Most assuredly not. Since, then, Paul declares re- 
garding those that are elect and predestinated, that 
they are justified, does he not contradict the doc- 
trine in question out and out ? We can not see how 
on such a passage as this it is at all possible to 
found the doctrine of the predestination of unbe- 
lievers to life. The very least that can be said is, 
that there is no foundation for such a doctrine there. 

3. Those of whom Paid is speaking as predes- 
tinated, in his epistle to the Ephesians^ are " saints 
and^ faithful in Christ Jesus.^^ Now the impor- 
tant question is. How can you infer the predestina- 
tion of those who are yet "lying in wickedness" 
from the statement that those are predestinated who 
are " saints and believers in Jesus ? " It is quite 



250 PKE'DESTINATION 

true that these holy believers are predestinated, but 
does this imply either tliat they always were so, or 
that others, who are under the wrath of God, as 
rebels still, are now so ? The believers were justi- 
fied when Paul wrote to them. Can we infer from 
this, either that they were always so or that others 
yet in unbelief are justified ? Mark again, my 
hearer, the nothingness of the ground upon which 
this doctrine rests. Where in the Word of God 
do you read of the predestination of those who are 
yet unborn, or still in unbelief? The doctrine of 
the predestination of such has no more ground in 
these passages than has the sanctification of those 
yet in unbelief If you hold the one from these 
statements, you may just as well hold the other. 
Surely, this is some reason for regarding these pas- 
sages as entirely free from the charge of that fear- 
ful doctrine. 

4. Still further^ those said to he predestinated 
are also said to he " accepted in the heloved.'''' Are 
we, then, to hold that they were always " accepted 
in the beloved ? " They were the " children of 
wrath " — were they, then, " accepted in the belov- 
ed ? " Now, if we must not think, because they 
are now accepted, that they were always so, how 
are we to believe that they were always predestina- 
nated, betjause Paul says that they were so when 
he wrote? Is it not as clear as truth can be tliat 
these passages do not teach an eternal predestina- 
tion of these persons, far less do they teach the 
eternal predestination of others who are yet with- 
out God and without hope in the world. How sin- 
gular it is, that so many should accept that giant 



AS FOUND IN THE BIBLE. 251 

error, that men are eternally predestinated to life 
and death, as if it were taught in these passages of 
the Word of God! Tlie word " predestinate " is 
quite sufficient by its mere sound to call up the 
ideas of an irresistible decree of life and death, and 
yet no such decree is found connected with the 
word in the Book of God. 

This line of argument might be lengthened out 
to any extent; for anything imaginable is just as 
really said in these passages as that these persons 
were always predestinated, or that others yet in sin 
are predestinated along with them. If, therefore, 
any man will hold that these persons were always 
predestinated, and that others, still in unbehef when 
Paul wrote, were then predestinated to " the adop- 
tion " — we ask him kindly, but very firmly, to show 
us his authority from the Word of God. If he will 
have us to swallow that hideous idea, of beings 
created in a state of predestination to death, he is 
bound to give us the strongest ground for his de- 
mand ; and if he does not furnish such ground, we 
charge him at once with groundlessly calumniating 
his God ; and we demand, in the name of that God, 
that he retract the calumny, and do his utmost to 
undo the evil which he has effected by giving it 
the currency he has given it. O ! let it not be 
thought a light matter to trifle with the name of 
the Lord. Let not his mind rise with self-suffi- 
cient pride who groundlessly lays the doctrine of 
eternal predestination, as we have quoted it, at Je- 
hovah's door. 



252 PEEDESTINATION 

II. Let us now endeavor to see the real 

MEANING AND INTENTION OF THE PASSAGES BEFORE 

US. 

We have seen that no ground is afforded by 
these Scriptures for believing that those aUuded to 
in them were predestinated from eternity ; and still 
less, if possible, is there ground for believing that 
persons bearing a totally opposite character are pre- 
destinated at all. Our question now is, what pre- 
destination do they teach ? 

1. What are we to understand by " the adoption " 
spoken of? The answer to this question is of the 
very greatest moment. Tiie idea usually is, that 
men are jDredestinated to undergo regeneration. 
Now, in not one of the texts under consideration is 
such an idea taught. They are believed to be pre- 
destinated to the enjoyment of "a special influence " 
on the one hand, and to be left without such influ- 
ence on the other. No such idea is alluded to in 
these texts. The saints and faithful in Christ Jesus 
are, in the passage more especially under notice, 
said to be predestinated to " tJte adoption?'' And 
when we ask, What adoption ? we have the un- 
doubted w'ords of Paul himself in reply : Romans 
viii. 23, "Even we ourselves groan within our- 
selves, waiting for the adoption, to wit., the re- 
demption OF OUR body." Now, the word heie 
rendered "the adoption" is the very same expand- 
ed into " the adoption of children " in Epli. i. 5. 
The blessing is manifestly the same, and it is ex- 
plained in these words, " the redemption of our 
body.'*'' No answer can be more direct and scrip- 



AS FOUND IN THE BIBLE. 253 

tural than this, and it is confirmed by the expres- 
sion, " predestinated to be conformed to the image 
of His Son," and by the whole connection of both 
passages. The truth taught, then, is, that those 
"saints and faitliful in Christ Jesus" were predesti- 
nated to " the adoption, to wit, the redemption of 
their bodies," and so to be conformed to the glori- 
ous image of the glorified Jesus. This is the only 
PREDESTINATION taught in these passages ; and the 
ta.sk of making them teach the predestination of 
uncounted millions partly to heaven and partly to 
hell, or the predestination of some to be converted, 
is most hopeless indeed. Let me exhort the hearer 
to think over the passages and their connection, 
and see if it be possible to find the fearful ideas 
which we have quoted at the outset in any portion 
of them. ]N'o ; but you do find that which is most 
cheering to the believer— that he is predestinated 
to stand in the glorified body of the resurrection, 
and to share the glory of his blessed Lord. This 
is the doctrine of predestination as taught in the 
Bible. 

2. TFe may notice shortly who are the persons 
predestinated to this glorious resurrection. This 
we have in a great measure anticipated. Still it is 
important to give line upon line where, above all, 
error is apt to force itself in. Now it is impossible 
to point out the line or loord in these passages by 
which countenance is given to the idea of those be- 
ing predestinated to " the adoption," who are yet 
in their sins. Try again, my hearer, to find that 
line in which this notion has countenance. If you 
do hold that such are j)redestinated, then the bur- 



254 PEEDESTINATION 

den of proof lies with you. Prove it. We do see 
that those who love God are predestinated to "the 
adoption ; -' but does this argue that those who hate 
Him are so ? Above all, does this argue that 
others are predeatinated to death f No. The per- 
sons who are predestinated to the glory of the res- 
urrection are those who are " in Christ^^'' and those 
alone — those who are " accepted in the beloved," 
and those alone. In this very connection, it is de- 
clared that " if any man have not the Spirit of 
Christ, he is none of His.^^ The predestination of 
the Bible, then, is the predestination of those al- 
ready actually accepted of God through Jesus, and 
of such alone, to the glory of the resurrection. Let 
that doctrine stand side by side with the words of 
the author we have quoted, and how vast the con- 
trast between them ! The one is cheering as the 
morning sun rising upon the departing night — the 
other is the horrid thunder cloud brooding over the 
masses of men in dire uncertainty as to who is to 
die by its deadly bolt. O ! well may the heart 
pant for the rescue of men from that death-like spell 
that binds them so long to so gloomy a system ! 

3. Whe7i does this 2^^edesti?iatw7i take place f 
This question is virtually answered by what has 
been already said. Seeing that only believers and 
those who love God are "predestinated to the adop- 
tion," it is most clear that this act of predestination 
can not be regarded as having taken place until 
they believe and bear this character. Nor is there 
any more difficulty in believing this, than there is 
in believing that their justification can not take 
place until tliey believe. The one is the act of God 



AS FOUND IN THE BIBLE. 256 

as really as the other ; and if we can regard Him 
as justifying in time, so can we regard Him as pre- 
destinating to glory. The reason why the. mind is 
misled on this point is, that the predestination of 
the persons spoken of, is supposed to have been ful- 
filled in their conversion, whereas it is only to be 
fulfilled in " the redemption of their hodyP If any 
one should say that this predestination has been 
from eternity, let him quote his authority ; and if 
he can not do this, let him show how a holy God 
can predestinate an unheliemng soul to glory ; and 
if he can not do either, then let him acknowledge 
that he has derived his views of this doctrine from 
a teacher differing in his views from the Book of 
God. 

There is greater importance in this view, of a pre- 
destination taking place in time^ than may at first 
sight appear. How else, my hearer, can you intel- 
ligently believe that you may be predestinated to 
the glory of the resurrection ? How, if still unbe- 
lieving, can you see your way into the lists of the 
predestinated ? O ! it is vastly momentous to know 
and feel assured that all the blessings of God's chil- 
dren are open to you, and to all. Eternal predes- 
tination shuts up the possibility of this assurance, 
and hides the welcome of a predestinating God 
from the sinner's anxious eye. Do not, then, sit 
lightly by the doctrine that a soul can only be pre- 
destinated to be conformed to the image of Jesus, 
ichen^ by believing in Him, that soul becomes one 
of His. Then, and 7iot till then^ does He predesti- 
nate that soul for glory, just as then, and not till 
then^ He frees that soul from condemnation. 



256 PREDESTINATION 

4. Let us notice the cause of this predestination 
of the believer to glory. It is said to be the " good 
pleasure of His will." What is this but His benevo- 
lence? — benevolence is just good-willing — pleasing 
to do good. This is the characteristic of a benevo- 
lent heart. The cause, then, of any sinner being 
predestinated to glory is just the free sovereign 
grace or love of God. Some can not see that we 
ascribe predestination to the sovereign grace of 
God, unless we make it eternal, and hence they call 
the horrid doctrine of reprobation itself, " a doc- 
trine of grace." But how is it that justification is 
of sovereign grace, and yet that it is not eternal ? 
Surely, if the one may be of free sovereign grace, 
and yet take place in time, so may the other. Now, 
the question is clearly settled that the pi-edestina- 
tion spoken of in the Bible, like the justification 
spoken of there, does take place in time, and that 
both are of pure sovereign giace, — both according 
to the good pleasure of Jehovah's will. For a full 
view of the love that is manifested in predestina- 
tion, we must look back into eternity, for it has 
been " everlasting love " — just as one must look for- 
ward to eternity, for it shall be "everlasting love ;" 
but we have just the same thing to do in taking a 
full view of the love that justifies and pardons or 
accepts the guilty sinner on his believing in Jesus. 
There can be no greater difiiculty in regarding pre- 
destination in time as according to the good pleas- 
ure of the will of God, than there is in regarding 
justification or pardon in time, as from the same 
source. To pass, then, from the controversial as- 
pect of this truth, look to it in its own loveliness. 



AS FOUND IN THE BIBLE. 257 

Here is a rebel — a traitor — a child of wrath, and 
an heir of hell : he does not seek God, but God 
seeks hira, and follows him, step by step of his mad 
career, in the exercise of a forbearance which none 
but God could show. At length He gains the ear 
of the guilty wretch, and the sinful soul is arrested, 
convicted, and self-condemned. But the ransom 
has been paid, and the God of love " takes of the 
things which are Christ's," and shows them to the 
sinner. God assures the rebel, that thougu his sins 
are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow ; and 
when the unworthy and self-ejected outcast per- 
ceives his Father's love still full and free to hira, and 
consents to be His restored child, then Jehovah not 
only pardons, justifies, and accepts, but also predes- 
tinates that man to " the adoption, to wit, the re- 
demption of the body," and consequent glory of 
Jesus. All this must be from the " good pleasure 
of His will," for there is no other existing cause to 
account for it. O ! my fellow-sinner, do not forget, 
if you are still refusing God, that according to "the 
good pleasure of His will," He is still following you 
as the most loving of fathers follows a prodigal. 
From the same cause He assures you, on oath, that 
He has no pleasure in your death, and beseeches 
you to turn and live ; and from the same cause is 
He willing, nay, deeply earnest to forgive you — to 
justify you — to accept you as His child, and to pre- 
desthiate yoii to eternal glory, that in your body 
and soul in heaven, you may be one of the "many 
brethren," among whom Jesus is the first-born. Be 
assured of this, if God's word can assure you. It 
is before you in your own tongue, that you may 
22* 



258 PREDESTINATION 

read it in the unfathomable depths of divine love, 
and know tlfkt that loVe is to you and to all your 
fellow-men. 

5. We may notice noio on lohose account men 
are predestiyiated to he conformed to the image of 
Jesus. It is said, in the passage before us, that it 
is "through," or, literally, "on account of" Jesus 
Christ. It is remarkable that they are not said to 
be predestinated to Jesus — or, in order to be given 
to Him in due time — or, to be converted to His 
truth in due season ; — they are predestinated on 
His account to " the adoption, to wit, the redemp- 
tion of the body," and so to all the glories of eter- 
nal heaven. Here, then, the predestination of the 
believer is spoken of just as any other blessing given 
to him on believing. He is justified on account of 
Jesus ; he has peace with God on the same account : 
and has been predestinated to future glory on the 
same account also. All this is simple and plain, ay, 
and mightily attractive to the soul of the outcast, 
who is assured of being now- welcome to all this in- 
estimable blessing and glory, " on account of 
JESUS CHRIST." He has no " account " of his own. 
He can not say, " accept of me, and predestinate 
me to to glory, and put it to my account." He is 
not only " without money and without a price" to 
give, but he has no credit with God. Blessed, then, 
be He who has welcomed us to " come, buy wine 
and milk," and have our names enrolled as the pre- 
destinated to glory " on His account." Surely, my 
unconverted, and, it may be, desponding hearer, 
there is grace enough here, and room enough in 
that grace for you. Can you present the plea of 



AS S'OUND IN THE BIBLE. 259 

Jesus' death and finished work in vain ? Will God 
refuse to acknowledge His own Son's ransom, when 
you, though the vilest of tlie vile, present it as all 
your ransom why you should be justified in His 
sight and predestinated to eternal glory ? Most 
assuredly not. Come, then, near to your Father. 
Do not think that any bar exists to your meeting 
Him in peace. Take up the guilty's only argument 
— THE RANSOM — the rausom paid, and on account 
of Jesus be predestinated to everlasting joy. 

6. We may now notice^ in closing^ the object 
which God had in view in predestinating the be- 
lievers of lohom Paul spake. This appears in the 
phrase "to Himself," or, "for His own sake." His 
grand object ip this predestination of His restored 
prodigals is to give demonstration to the whole uni- 
verse of His own faithfulness and honor. It also 
appears in the further statement — "To the praise 
of His glorious grace." This leads us forward to 
the time when Jesus and a company "which no man 
can number," shall stand forth before the universe 
clothed in unfading and eternal glor3^ Through- 
out the intelligent hosts of Jehovah's creation, this 
will constitute a theme of holy joy and deepest 
adoration. Truly it will be to the praise of His 
glorious grace, when "the adoption" has thus come 
and the wonderful work of salvation has reached 
its consummation. 

O ! ray heai-er, are you yet predestinated to this 
blessed end ? Do not say that you " can not know" 
whether you are or not. Jehovah's predestination 
is no such secret or inscrutable thing as to be be- 
yond your reach in your own case. You know if 



260 



PREDESTINATION, ETC. 



you are at peace with Him through our Lord Jesus 
Christ. You know if you stand before Him as 
your judge and king, on the ground that Jesus died 
for you. It is impossible to be in any difficulty as 
to this. And hence it is impossible to be in any 
great difficulty in determining what is your real sit- 
uation in His sight. It is most clearly stated in the 
passage before us that the predestination " is on ac- 
count of Jesus Christ." Are you, then, dealing 
with God on account of Jesus. Is He all your 
plea ? If not, why may He not become so now ? 
He died for you. His death is accepted as a suffi- 
cient answer for all your sins. Jehovah is ready to 
justify you. O ! then agree with Him, Be one of 
His children now according to His own earnest re- 
quest, and thus be predestinated with all those who 
believe. 



LECTURE XYI. 

PEEDESTINATION AND THE SECURITY OF BELIEVEES. 

The text to which we direct attention in this lec- 
ture is 1 Thess. v. 9 : — " For God hath not appoint- 
ed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord 
Jesus Christ." This passage is supposed to teach 
that the feeling of security which 'the behever en- 
joys, arises from the knowledge of his being from 
eternity predestinated to life, while others have 
been appointed to wrath. It is quoted as proof of 
the doctrine of eternal preappointment to faith, both 
by the Westminster Confession and also by Brown 
in his Dictionary of the Bible. It is also looked 
upon by many as most unquestionably and clearly 
teaching the doctrine of predestination both to Ufe 
and to death. Seeing that such is the case, and 
that Paul evidently regarded the truth stated here 
as one of great importance, our duty is plain, and 
we must examine the passage thoroughly. We 
shall see that the consolation w^as far better (and 
that in many respects) than any that could be de- 
rived fi-om an eternal decree such as we have re- 
peatedly quoted, while, at the same time, it bore 
upon its very face this most blessed mark of saving 
truth— it was a consolation free to every man. We 
shall consider the passage under two general divis- 
ions, first, as to its meaning, and second, as to its use. 



262 PREDESTINATION AND 

I. Let us /consider the meaning of the 
Apostle in this verse. 

He is supposed to teach the eternal appomtment 
of one portion of men to an eternal heaven, and 
the rest to an eternal woe. It Avill not be difficult 
to show that this is not the appointment spoken of 
by Paul, and that the one he spoke of is of a very 
different character indeed. 

1. The word here translated " appointed'''' nev&r 
means pveappointnxent. It is most important to 
mark this, though I have already noticed it in the 
course of these lectures. The word signifies literally 
'"'' placed^"^ or "se^," and never ^''preappointed'^'' in 
any one instance in which it occurs. It will make 
this more clear to the mind to take up those instan- 
ces in which it has been translated '-''appoint^'' or 
'"''ordained'''' in the New Testament. Matt. xxiv. 
48-51 — "But and if that evil servant shall say in 
his heart, My lord delayeth His coming; and shall 
begin to smite his fellow-servants, and to eat and 
drink with the drunken ; the Lord of that servant 
shall come in a day when he looketh not for Him, 
and in an hour that he is not aware of, and shall cut 
him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the 
hypocrites : there shall be weeping and gnashing of 
teeth." Here you observe that the appointment is 
after the cutting asunder, and it is the appointment 
of \j\\Q portion^ not of the man. The idea is most 
clearly that oi' placing a portion for him on the 
same table where that of the hypocrites is set. It 
is impossible to construe it into a preappointment 
at all. The word preserves most clearly its primary 



THE SECUEITY OP BELIEVERS. 263 

meaning, and points out the placing or setting of 
the portion for the man. The same remarks apply- 
to Luke X. 46, in which the same subject is spoken 
of In eTohn xv. 16, this same word is translated 
" ordained'^'' as follows : — " Ye have not chosen me, 
but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye 
should go and bring forth frait, and that your fruit 
should remain; that whatsoever ye shall ask of the 
Father in my name, He may give it you." This 
passage has been often quoted in proof of eternal 
choice ; but reflection upon it for a moment will 
show, that Jesus is speaking of the choice which 
He made of His disciples for the purpose of the 
apostleship. If any doubt of this is still entertain- 
ed, it will be dismissed by attention to what Jesus 
says Himself — John vii. 70, 71, "Jesus answered 
them, have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you 
is a devil ? He spake of Judas Iscariot, the son of 
Simon : for he it was that should betray him, being 
one of the twelve." Here Jesus says that He had 
chosen Judas as well ais the rest, and to understand 
this of eternal choice to life is absurd. He did 
choose him, as He chose the rest, to that office into 
which He actually />^acec? them. He is not, then, 
speaking of foreordination in the passage before 
us, nor of preappointraent, but of his actually jt?^ac- 
ing His disciples in that situation in which they 
were to go forth to the world and bear fruit in the 
salvation of men. In 1 Tim. ii. 7, Paul speaks of 
his being " ordained a loreacher^^'' and he uses this 
word to signify his ordination — that is, his being 
actually placed in his office. He uses the same 
word in the same sense in 1 Tim. i. 12, where it is 



264 PKEDESTINATION AND 

rendered ''''putting me into the ministry," and in 2 
Tim. i. 11. It has manifestly tlie same meaning in 
Heb. i. 2. The word is rendered "appointed," in 
regaid to Jesus, to signify His actual possession of 
all things, as it is said in another place that God the 
Father " hath delivered all things into His liands." 
These, then, are the only instances in which this 
word occurs, in which even our translators have 
given it the slightest shade of the meaning of an 
appointment before-hand ; and in not one of these 
has it this meaning in the evident mind of the sa- 
cred writer. This will be still more evident, how- 
ever, to the mind of the hearer by looking at a few 
of those instances in which the word is rendered 
according to its proper meaning. Math. v. 15, 
"And ^9W(( it under a bushel ; " xii. 18, " I will put 
my Spirit upon him ; " xiv. 3, " and put him in pris- 
on ; " xvii. 60, " and laid it in His own new tomb;" 
Mark vi. bQ^ " the}'- laid the sick in the streets ; " 
xi. 16, "He took them up in His arms, put His 
hands upon them, and blessed them ; " xv. 47, 
"beheld where He was laid\'''' xvi. 6, "behold 
the place where they laid Him;" Luke v. 18, 
" and to lay him before them ; " vi. 48, " and laid 
the foundation on a rock;" viii. 16, "or putteth it 
under a bed." It is unnecessary that I should fur- 
ther multiply instances. The mind of the hearer 
can not but be convinced from these (in which I 
have marked the occurrence of the woi"d in ques- 
tion in italics), that it signifies not a preappoint- 
ment, or foreordination, but an actual putting or 
plamig in a particular situation, as I have already 



THE SECURITY OP BELIEVERS. 265 

said. This will be seen to be most important in 
rightly underi^tanding the passage before us. 

2. Paul then says^ '"''For God hath not placed us 
into wrath.'*'' He is speaking of their situation as 
they stood at the time wiien he wrote ; and it will 
be seen that the line of distinction which he drew, 
was between the believer and the unbeliever, and 
not between the one portion of mankind and the 
other, on any different principle of distinction. The 
grand essential of the doctrine of universal predes- 
tination, is the eternal division of men, not into be- 
lievers and unbelievers, or into righteous and wick- 
ed, but into the predestinated to life and the pre- 
destinated unto death. One portion of unbelievers 
are on this principle regarded as already appointed 
to life, and the other to death. This division of im- 
helieviers Ys, xno'^Xj unscriptural ; and it is especially 
unscriptural to include unbelievers in the appoint- 
ment of life. Nothing can be clearer than this, that 
the Ephesian Christians before they believed, were 
placed in lorath — they " were by nature the childi-en 
of wrath even as otliers." (Eph. ii. 3.) Nor can 
anything be more decisive on this subject, than the 
solemn declaration, "he that believeth not the Son 
shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on 
him," and so " He that believeth not is condemned 
already." The whole unreconciled and unbelieving 
world are placed in wrath ; and this is just this con- 
demned condition out of which the sinner is taken 
when he believes the gospel, and is justified of God. 
The statement, then, that "God hath not placed us 
into wrath," is the very same as the statement that 
"he that believeth on the Son of God is not con- 
23 



266 



PKEDESTINATION AND 



demned," — he is not placed under the displeasure 
and condemnation of God. Surely, nothing can be 
more evident than the truth, that he who derives 
the idea of an eternal appointment of men to wrath 
from tliis text, derives that from it which was never 
in it by the intention of the apostle or of the Spirit 
of God. 

3. Paid says further^ ''''For ^od hath placed us 
into the ]yossession of salvation.'^'' Having already 
pointed out the meaning of the word rendered 
" appointed," the translation \\\\\ appear clear to the 
mind of the hearer, so far as that word is concern- 
ed. You will observe, however, that the word ren- 
dered in the text before us, "^o ohtain^^'' I have ren- 
dered '•'' possession^ This is an undoubted mean- 
ing of the word, and is seen to be the apostle's 
meaning of it here by its connection with the word 
which vciQ2i\\^ placing^ as I have already shown. It 
does not appear sense at all to say — " put into the 
obtaining of salvation " — or, " j^biced into the ob- 
taining of salvation ; " whereas it is most simple 
and ordinary language to say — " put into the pos- 
session of salvation." This is the clear and simple 
sense of Paul's words. But it may be well to give 
one or two instances to prove this. In Epli. i. 14, 
we have the following translation of the same v^^'ord: 
"Until the redemption of the purchased posses- 
sion.^^ Here the word is rendered "possession," 
and can not be translated otherwise. In 1 Peter ii. 
9, Christians are called " ii peculiar people," — in the 
margain "a purchased people," but most literally, 
"a people of possession.'^'* That this, tlien, is a 
most undoubted meaning of the word, will not be 



THE SECURITY OF BELIEVEKS. 267 

denied ; and the passage before us, taken in connec- 
tion with other scriptures, is thus most clear : " For 
God hath not placed us into wrath, but into the pos- 
session of salvation by Jesus Christ." See how this 
accords with other scriptures : "He that believeth 
on the Son of God hath everlasting life." Is not 
this most clearly declaring that he is put in posses- 
sion of salvation ? Is it not showing the very same 
truth as the text before us? Believers are already 
saved. "Who hath saved us," is the language in 
which they refer to Jehovah as their Lord and Re- 
deemer. The text in hand, therefore, points out 
that which God did when the Thessalonian Chris- 
tians believed — He placed them in the possession 
of snlvation, so that wiiether they should " wake or 
sleep," they should live together with Jesus. 

4. Paul says that God placed them in the pos- 
session of salvaiio?i " on account of Jesus Christy 
This shows us the true ground of the salvation of 
those that believe. That ground is the Lord Jesus. 
This is a ground very different from that which is 
found in an eternal predestination. Jesus is " the 
Saviour of the world." He is the " ransom " paid 
" for all." " He is the propitiation for the sins of 
the whole world," and hence there is not a soul pos- 
sessed of human nature upon the earth, that is not 
welcome to be placed in possession of salvation on 
His account. " Whosoever believeth in Him shall 
not perish." '.' He that believeth on the Son of 
God hath everlasting life ; " and who is not wel- 
come so to believe? The possession of salvation 
spoken of in the passage befol-e us, as " through," 
or "on account of" Jesus, is evidently on account 



268 PREDESTINATION AND 

of His death, for it is immediately added, " Who 
died for us." Now, this ground is equally good to 
all, for Paul shows most unhesitatingly that Jesus 
did die for all (2 Cor. v. 14). O ! my hearer, turn 
not aside from this glorious truth, as if it concerned 
others, and did not concern you. Let me entreat 
you to study this precious passage, and know, and 
rejoice to know, that Jesus died for you, and that 
on His account you are as truly welcome to salva- 
tion as any soul that ever was saved. 

II. Let us notice some of the impoetant 

TRUTHS that ARE INVOLVED IN THIS APPOINT- 
MENT OF God. 

From what we have already seen, it is clear the 
appointment is Jehovah's placing the soul of the 
beUever in a state of safety.- This is the leading 
idea of the passage, but it is associated with many 
other truths. 

1. We are here taught that believers are already 
saved. They are already \w ^possession of everlast- 
ing life. How many there are who look upon the 
salvation of the soul as an event only to take place 
at death, if it take place at all. Hence they seize 
upon the words expressed in the verse preceding 
that in which we are chiefly concerned — "the hope 
of salvation " — and they look upon the " hope " that 
they will yet be saved as all that is required. They 
are content thus to hang in dark suspense between 
heaven and hell. They overlook the truth, that 
"the hope of salvation" is the hope that belongs to 
salvation — the hope which is wrapt up in salvation 



THE SECUKITY OF BELIEVERS. 269 

— the hope which a man possesses when he has been 
put into possession of salvation. This is clearly the 
meaning of the apostle in the passage before us. 
They had the hope because they were saved. It 
was not the hope of being saved, but the hope of 
meeting their Judge in peace and safety, because 
they were already put in possession of salvation. 
To see this, you have only to consult the connection 
of the apostle's words. Hear what he says in verses 
1-5 — " But of the times and the seasons, brethren, 
ye have no need that I write unto you. For your- 
selves know perfectly, that the day of the Lord so 
Cometh as a thief in the night. For when they 
shall say. Peace and safety, then sudden destruction 
cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with 
child ; and they shall not escape. But ye, breth- 
ren, are not in darkness, that that day should over- 
take you as a thief Ye are all the children of light, 
and the children of the day; we are not of the 
night, nor of darkness." Here he tells them that 
they are " children of the day," and speaks to 
them without the slightest reserve as saved persons. 
My hearer, are you saved ? Are you in possession 
of life ? Say not that you do not know whether 
you are or not. This is absurd. Life is not so 
small a matter but, if you do possess it, you will 
know. Have you peace with God ? Are you 
ready for the day that shall come suddenly upon 
the unbeliever ? You must know if you are ready. 
You must know if you would have felt yourself in- 
cluded in Paul's description, had you heard him 
saying to certain persons, " Ye are children of the 
day." I beseech you, do not lower the blessedness 

23* 



270 PREDESTINATION AND 

of the state of a believer, merely that it may suit 
your own experience. No, ratlier let your false 
hope perish at once, than have it sustained in such 
a way. To be a Christian, is to be in possession of 
safety. 

2. We are taught^ in this passage^ that believers 
are put in 2)ossession of salvation on account of 
Jesus Christ. Now you may have been accustom- 
ed to regard this as a settled truth, from your ear- 
liest years ; and yet you may never have seen its 
true extent. You may have been all the time act- 
ing and feeling as if sinners were saved on account 
of their faith, or on account of their holiness. As 
an evidence of this, observe, that you have no idea 
that Jesus can ever be better that He is, as a 
ground on which to justify the sinner. You think 
that you know Jesus as He is, and you wish to be 
justified and put in possession of safety. But you 
are not justified. You have no peace or you have 
no safety. You think you have Jesus, and that His 
atonement is sufficient so far as it goes ; but it does 
not go far enough to save you. And yet you do 
believe. You do not doubt the truth of the gospel 
— and still you are not saved. Why is it thus with 
you ? Because you think your fiiith is not as it 
should be, or your love is not as it should be. If 
these were fully rectified, and perfect, then you 
thhik you would be saved. O ! ray fi-iend, you are 
not thinking of being put in possession of safety on 
account of Christ at all, but on account of your 
own goodness, as faith, or love, or holiness. See to 
it well, for God will place no man in possession of 
salvation on any other ground but on that of the 



f 



THE SECUKITY OF BELIE VEES. 271 

finished satisfaction for sin given by Jesus on Cal- 
vary. 

3. We are informed here of a salvation that is 
free to every man. Had it been said that God had 
put tliein in possession of salvation, on acc-ount of 
His eternal decree, by which He had separated tlieni 
from the rest of mankind, then, the idea of this sal- 
vation being free to all, would be the very height 
of absurdity. But this is not said. They were not 
put in possession of salvation on account of an eter- 
nal decree of this nature, but on account of the 
death of Jesus. Had it been said that they were 
put in possession of salvation by an influence of the 
Spirit, which,was destined from eternity to be used 
only with a small portion of men, then the idea of 
the salvation being free to all would be out of the 
question. Or had it been said, that they were put 
in possession of salvation on account of a change 
produced in them by this specially destined influ- 
ence, the same conclusion would follow. Or, to pass 
to another barrier— had it 'been said that they were 
put in possession of salvation because of their own 
holiness or goodness, then there would have been 
no access for all to the situation in which they 
stood. But rejoice, my hearer, and seek to make 
the hearts of others rejoice too, they were put in 
possession of safety, on account of a great sacrifice 
that was made for you as tnuch as for them^ and 
that has been accepted for you as truly as for them ; 
and, on the ground of it, you are as welcome to 
approach God, and to be put in possession of this 
salvation, as ever they were. Hear his own words : 
*' Look unto me, and be ye saved, all ye ends of the 



272 , PREDESTINATION AND 

earth ; for I am God, and besides me there is none 
else." 

4. We learn fi*oin the exposition of this passage 
how needlessly the mind of the inquiring sinner 
has been encmnhered loith the doctrine of predesti- 
nation. That doctrine has been made to stand 
forth before him, wherever, by the utmost stretch 
of Scripture language, it could be made to find the 
slightest shadow of support. How many eyes have 
grown dim, with soul-destroying embarrassment, in 
poring over this same passage. The inquiring and 
guilty sinner has thought of the immense value and 
necessity of an appointment to be saved — a decree 
on his behalf fixing his destiny for heaven. He has 
also been made to tremble and shudder with inward 
horror at the idea of his being appointed to wrath 
by the inexorable determination of God ; and, 
blinded with this idea, he has sought in vain for rest 
and refuge in the truth contained in the Bible. 
How strange that he sliould have been looking upon 
one of the plainest passages in that book, and one 
speaking as plainly as possible of salvation for him. 
For, it is most clear that since God put Paul and 
the Thessalonians in possession of safety on account 
of Jesus who died for them, the same ground avails 
for every other sinner for whom Jesus died. Yes, 
my hearer, it is not only true that this ground is as 
good for you as it was for them ; but also that Je- 
hovah's most earnest desire is, that you would con- 
sent to be justified, and so put in possession of this 
salvation, on the same ground. And w^hen He jus- 
tifies, who shall condemn ? When He tells you to 
be at peace for the sake of such an atonement, who 



THE SECURITY OP BELIEVERS. 273 

shall make you afraid ? And when He puts you 
in possession of salvation, is not your security great 
indeed ? Come near, then, to the throne of your 
God, with nothing but the finished atonement of 
Jesus as your jjlea, and you must be saved. 



LECTURE XYII. 

PKEDESTINATION AS A FOUNDATION OF HOPE. 

In this, our closing lecture, attention will be 
chiefly directed to 2 Timothy ii. 19: — "Neverthe- 
less the foundation of the Lord standeth sure, hav- 
ing this seal. The Lord knoweth them that are His. 
And, let every one that nameth the name of Christ 
depart from iniquity." This text is supposed to 
teach the doctrine of predestination very strongly. 
It is quoted in the Confession of Faith as one proof 
of the " passing by," or eternal abandonment of 
those who are not among the elect. Cruden says, 
*' GocVs decree of election is the Jirm^ immovable 
foundatio7i upon which the salvation of the elect 
de2M)ids.'^'> This same idea is strong in the minds 
of many others. The following passages will show 
this. The one is from an old, the other is from a 
living author : — " In ascribing the salvation of the 
remnant of the people to the election of grace, 
Paul clearly testifies, that it is there only known 
that God saves whom He will of His mere good 
pleasure, and does not dispense a reward to which 
there can be no claim. They who shut the gates 
to prevent any one from presuming to approach and 
taste this doctrine, do no less injury to man than to 
God ; for nothing else will be sufficient to produce 
in us suitable humility, or to impress us with a due 



AS A FOUNDATION OF HOPE. 275 

sense of our great obligations to God. Nor is 
there any other basis for solid confidence, even ac- 
cording to the authority of Christ, who, to deliver 
us from fear, and render us invincible amidst so 
many dangers, snares, and deadly conflicts, promises 
to preserve in safety all whom the Father hath com- 
mitted to His care. Whence we infer, tiiat they 
who know not themselves to be God's peculiar peo- 
ple, will be tortured with continual anxiety ; and 
therefore, that the interest of all the faithful as* well 
as their own, is very badly consulted by those who, 
blind to the three advantages we have remarked, 
would wholly remove the foundation of our salva- 
tion."* Nothing can be clearer than that Calvin 
looked upon this doctrine of predestination as the 
very resting-place of the soul. The following words 
show that such an idea is not yet extinct :—" And 
finally, to pass from the present scene of trial to the 
future world of blessedness and glory, how unmean- 
ing, on any theory of universal reference in the 
atonement, does the song of the countless multitude 
before the throne become! Then we see the 
mighty mystery of God's will accomplished, even 
the purpose which He hath purposed in Himself — 
* that in the dispensation of the fullness of times He 
might gather together in one all things in Chi-ist, 
both which are in heaven, and which are on earth ; 
even in Him.' (Eph. i. 10.) One universal family 
or household is gathered together, out of every 
kindred, and people, and nation, 'and tongue; and 
the note of praise which, as they sing the new song, 
they all with imited voices give forth, is but one 
* Calvin's Inst., book iii. chap. xxi. 



276 PEKDESTINATIOX 

continued acknowledgment of sjDecial obligation to 
the Lamb tor His death — and for His death as ex- 
clusively on their behalf; otherwise, it could not be 
any special ground of thanksgiving, which they 
make it, when they salute their Saviour with the 
adoring hymn ; — 'Thou art worthy; for thou wast 
slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood.'" * 
It is most clear, then, that Calvin thought, that if 
we removed the doctrine of predestination, we re- 
moved the foundation of hope ; and that Dr. Cand- 
lish thinks, that if we remove it, we deprive the 
song of heaven itself of all its glory ! If the saved 
are not enabled to look upon themselves as the ex- 
clusive faviorites^ all is lost! ISTo wonder, when 
men think thus of the doctrine of predestination, 
that they cling to it as with the determination of 
a death grasp. This fact, however, makes it a very 
important duty in us to search into the truth, both 
as regards the foundation of hope, and the theme 
of the heavenly song. It bids us see to it, whether 
we can not trust to the Saviour, if all have a place 
in His heart, and an atonement made for them in 
His finished work, and whether w^e shall not be able 
to sing His praise as having died for us, if it turn 
out to be true that He died for all. 

I. Let us consider the doctrine of predes- 
tination AS A FOUNDATION OF HOPE FOR MAN. 

The doctrine itself is already before the liearer; 
it is, that a certain portion of men are infallibly 
predestinated to heaven, and the rest "passed by" 
* Candlish on the Atonemeiit, p. 46. 



AS A FOUNDATION OF HOPE. 277 

and abandoned to the suifering of eternal woe. 
Now, this doctrine appears deficient in two aspects 
— first, it is deficient when viewed as a resting-place 
upon which hopes are ah-eady founded ; and, sec- 
ond, it is deficient when viewed as a ground upon 
wliich to ask sinners to found their hopes. We 
shall consider it in both of these aspects. 

1. Consider this doctrine as a foundation al- 
ready rested on. It is not necessai-y to look to the 
doctrine itself as the only rest, because those from 
whom we have quoted make Jesus their rest; but 
they seem to be unable to rest upon Him, unless 
they are permitted to view Him in the light of a 
predestination that includes some and altogether 
excludes others. It is, therefore, in this light that 
I desire to view their ground of assurance and 
peace. 

(l.) Predestination, as understood by those 
whose views we are now considering, grievously 
darkens the love of God. Mark, my hearer, many 
who have been trained as Christians, and have 
thought themselves of the " elect^'' have abandoned 
Christianity altogether ; and that not for want of 
thought, but because they did tliink on their sys- 
tem. It is not long since a most thoughtful and in- 
telligent man told me, that he had been led to aban- 
don all the hopes he had formerly entertained of 
heaven, because when he began to reflect upon the 
character of the God he had been trusting, he found 
that to be the character of a capricious tyrant, and 
not that of a Father or of a God. Mark well, my 
hearer, you may yet yourself come to reflect upon 
the real nature of the " grace " you are trusting ; 



278 PREDESTINATION 

and if yoii find tbat it is such as to include one and 
to exclude another, for no reason but because it so 
pleases Him whose grace it is, you may begin to 
think that this can not be God. Do not be too con- 
fident. If you are trusting to a grace that is thus 
pai'Lial; — most unaccountably partial — there is d^flaw 
in tlie idea upon which your soul is leaning, and you 
are not beyond the possibility of yet concluding 
that this idea is a falsehood — an ungodUke false- 
hood ; and you may yet be exposed to the gulf into 
which others have plunged before you : when re- 
nouncing a partial God they thought they had cast 
oflT Jehovah. I do therefore press the truth, that 
the doctrine of predestination, as we have now to 
do with it — a predestination of some to life and of 
others to death before they were born — is a flaw 
in the ground of hope of him who entertains it, in- 
stead of being a principle of strength. It is that 
which makes every one who adopts it take shelter 
in mystery or doubt, and too often in confirmed 
skepticism. It is not an easy matter for the soul of 
a reflecting man to rest upon partial love. 

(2.) But this doctrine is injurious to the ground 
of hope, because it calls for something additional to 
the Word of X^rod that the sinner may have confi- 
dence. The doctrine itself implies that no man can 
find his part in Christ Jesus simply by means of the 
Bible. There he can find that God loves soiine men 
— that Jesus atoned for some men — that the Holy- 
Spirit is predestinated for some men ; but accord- 
ing to this doctrine it is not possible that he can 
find in the Bible alone the truth that this great sal- 
vation is for him. If he finds this at all, he must 



AS A FOUNDATION OF HOPE. 279 

find it somewhere else than in the Bible. " Heaven 
and earth shall pass away " but " the word of the 
Lord abideth for ever." This is a glorious truth, so 
far as it shows that there is salvation for some men, 
but it can not, on the doctrine in question, show 
any sinner that there is salvation for him. He must 
turn in some other direction, and in millions of in- 
stances men do turn in some other direction, to find 
that Jesus died for them. Ask a man who holds 
this doctrine, if he is one of those for whom Jesus 
died. It may be, he will answer, " Yes." Ask 
him, then, how he knows that Jesus died for him : 
he can not answer — " From the Bible alone." He 
does not believe that Jesus died for all, and the 
Bible does not contain a list of the " elect " — he 
must go somewhere else for his answer. It is im- 
possible, on this doctrine, for any one to believe 
with Paul (" He loved me and gave Himself for 
me"), without going for that faith to some other 
source than the simple and unchanging record of 
God's word. Hear the following description of as- 
surance : — " Seeing Christ with the new e^^e which 
the Spirit purges, grasping him with the new hand 
which the Spirit strengthens, believing all the Di- 
vine testimony with that clear intelligence which 
belongs to the renewed mind, and that eager con- 
sent which the renewed heart hastens to give — I am 
Christ's, and Christ is mine ; I am become a par- 
taker of the divine nature ; for as Christ is so am 
I."* Now let us ask the person who expresses 
himself thus — how do you know that Christ is 
yours? Where must he go for the reply? Sup- 
* Dr. Candlish on the Atonement. 



280 PREDESTINATION 

pose we ask him, How do you know that Jesus died 
for you? Where must he go for a reply? It is 
impossible he can go to the Bible. That book, ac- 
cording to his doctrine, contains no answer to these 
questions. What, then, is the ground of his hope 
and assurance ? It can not be the unfailing word 
of God. 

(3.) This doctrine of the predestination of some 
to life and of others to death, leads the soul to rest 
upon its own changeable feelings. What, for ex- 
ample, is meant by such expressions as these : — 
" Seeing Christ with a new eye " — " grasping Christ 
with a new hand " — " cleaving to Christ with a new 
heart." What facts of human consciousness do 
they express or represent ? Let us not be led away 
with mere figures of speech. Whatever these 
facts be, they are the facts upon which the sinner is 
expected to ground his confidence and the belief 
that Jesus died for him. Now what are these 
facts ? If you, ray hearer, are resting in Christ be- 
cause these facts have taken place with you — if you 
believe that you are predestinated to glory because 
you " see Christ with a new eye," what do you 
mean by this " new eye ? " It must be something 
that can bear a plain designation. What, then, is 
it ? I answer for you — It is merely a new feeling 
of your own mind. It is not — it can not be a part 
of the Word of God. You would not call that " a 
new eye." Mark, then, the only answer you can 
give to the question — How do you know that Jesus 
died for you ? — is, that you have 2. feeling which 
you had not before, and which you think the " rep- 
robate" cannot possibly have. It just comes to 



AS A FOUNDATIOIS' OF HOPE. 281 

this, then, that your only ground of liope is a feel- 
ing of your own mind. Take away this — let the 
"new eye" be darkened, and your hope is gone; 
let the " new hand " be paralyzed, and your hope is 
gone; and you can not have recourse to the Bible 
f()r its renewal, for you did not get it there at first : 
you must wait for the "new eye," or more simply, 
the " new feehng," to arise once more. O ! it is 
deeply grievous to think how many are in deep and 
Bible-neglecting delusion from this cause. They 
have longr ao^o come to the conclusion, that Jesus 
died for none but a selected number ; they have left 
the Bible as a book that can not possibly give them 
any assurance of their safety in meeting God, and 
they are sometimes up, sometimes down, as their 
changeable feelings fluctuate. 

(4.) This doctrine is injurious to the foundation 
of hope, inasmuch as it contradicts one of the plain- 
est truths of the Bible. How is it possible to ex- 
press a truth in plainer language than this: "God 
so loved THE WORLD that He delivered up His only- 
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him 
should not perish but have everlasting life? " So, 
"there is one God, and one Mediator between God 
and man, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself 
A RANsoii FOR ALL ; " and thus " He is the propitia- 
tion for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for 
the sins of the whole world." Here, my dear 
hearer, is ground enough for you to approach the 
throne of God as a dark, cold, vile, guilty wretch, 
M'ith the perfect assurance that you will be accept- 
ed ; and so here is ground enough for the Christian 
to rest on in liis darkest hour. But what havoc 
24* 



282 PREDESTINATION 

does the doctrine now" before us make of this 
ground of confidence ! It tells you that the world 
for whom God surrendered His own Son, is not the 
whole world of men ; that the "all " for whom Je- 
sus gave Himself a ransom is " not all men ; " nay, 
that "the Avhole world " is not " the whole world," 
but a small portion of it, predestinated to life from 
all eternity, while "the rest " are abandoned to per- 
ish in their sins ! This takes the firm and solid 
rock from beneath the feet of the Christian himself, 
and leaves him to scramble back to his own good 
experiences, that he may count himself among "the 
elect." Let me beseech you, my hearer, to reflect 
upon your own assurance : see if it does not consist 
simply in your feelings; see that it has the change- 
less WORD OF God to rely on, or you may find it a 
sad matter for your soul in the hour of trial. 

2. Let us nolo consider the doctrine in hand^ as 
offering rest to the guilty. I shall do this more 
briefly, as what I have said will open the way to 
that which I have now to say. 

(1.) Consider the character in which man is jus- 
tified and accepted of God. He " justifieth the lui- 
godlyy It is when looking upon himself as " un- 
godly," that the sinner, believing, is justified. Take 
the case of the publican in the temple. He looked 
upon himself as ungodly — nothing but a sinner — 
when he was justified. The Pharisee looked upon 
himself as godly, and he was condemned. There 
is nothing that can exceed the importance of this 
truth ; and it is just turned upside down by the 
doctrine I have been opposing. The sinner must 
find that he has a " new heart," that is, a godly 



AS A FOUNDATION OF HOPE. 283 

hearty before he can think that Jesus died for hira ; 
and it is impossible he can be justified before he be- 
lieves this truth. O ! my liearer, is it not your own 
idea, that you can not be justified until you get a 
Dew heart? 

(2.) Consider the absolute necessity of " appro- 
priation," as it is called, in order to the justification 
of the soul. By appropriation, is meant the belief 
of the mind that Jesus atoned for its own sins — 
that which is expressed in the words — " He died 
for me." On all hands this must be regarded as 
necessary to salvation. It is not difficult to see 
how the redeemed can rejoice in Jesus, though they 
see that He was a ransom for others as well as for 
them ; but it is impossible to read their song with- 
out the word " z^5," containing for the individual 
mind the word "we," "who loved me and gave 
Himself for me." No man has the faith by which 
Paul was saved, who is not prepared so to speak of 
Jesus. Well, here is just the point w^ien the doc- 
trine in question throws in its huge barrier. You 
may speak of the completeness of Jesus' work in 
terms of angelic description. If you can not on 
God's authority tell me that this work was underta- 
ken and finished for me — how is my faith in what 
you say to lead me to express myself with Paul ? It 
can do no such thing, and hence that appropriation 
to myself, being absolutely necessary to my peace, 
you send me away to my feeUngs for authority to 
appropriate ! 

It is important to observe also that this doctrine 
is most certainly injurious Avhen the mind is fully 
disposed to reflect honestly and solemnly on the 



284 PEEDESTINATION 

ground of its hope for eternity. In a certain state 
of mind, a man may swallow the grossest absurdi- 
ties, simply because he is not at all scrupulous 
whether he believe truth or error. When a man 
reflects deeply, this is the state of mind in which he 
is inevitably stumbled by the doctrine of predesti- 
nation. To show the vast importance of this truth, 
it is not long since I spoke with a man who, when 
young, had been what he believed to be a Chris- 
tian. He got acquainted with some infidels. He 
thought it his duty to make an effort to turn them 
to the truth ; but ere long he found that he had 
taken for granted the very foundations of his own 
belief, and that these proved contradictions when 
reflected on, and tested, as he found them tested, 
by the arguments of his fellow-workmen. He was 
speedily plunged in infidelity with the rest; but 
neither could his inquiring and reflecting mind rest 
here. Though he felt no ground in his former be- 
lief, he found as little in having no belief at all, and 
it was after years of anxious, and after agonizing 
inquiry, that his mind rested on the truth of the 
Bible, seen in John iii. 16. This is the state of 
mind, then, in which a man refuses to trust to his 
own feelings, and is debarred from trusting to the 
finished work of Jesus, by the doctrine now in 
question. 

II. Let us now consider the foundation 

MENTIONED IN THE PASSAGE BEFORE US. 

Having shown the evil effects of predestination, 
not only as a foundation itself, but in its influence 



AS A FOUNDATION OF HOPE. 285 

upon the foundation truly laid, it is most important 
that we now see the real foundation as viewed by 
the apostle in the text in hand. 

1. Let lis consider the foundation itself. This 
is mentioned in several other passages of the Bible 
under this particular figure. Isaiah xxviii. 16 — 
"Therefore, thus saith the Lord God, Behold I lay 
in Zion for a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, a 
precious corner-stone, a sure foundation ; he that 
believeth shall not make haste." This passage is 
quoted and distinctly applied to Jesus at length in 
1 Peter ii. 6. The same is very distinctly stated in 
1 Corinthians iii. 10, 11 — "-According to the grace 
of God v/hich is given unto me, as a wise master- 
builder, I have laid the foundation, and another 
buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed 
how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation 
can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus 
Christ." Jesus Christ, then, is the foundation of 
God ; and when the apostle says that He laid the 
foundation, he refers simply to his proclamation of 
Jesus. What, then, are we to understand by Jesus 
as a foundation ? In answering this question, we 
must remember that minds are built on Jesus. 
Now, how do minds rest upon a foundation ? By 
confiding in it. Confidence is just the leaning of 
the soul, and from this arises the structure of hopes 
which are raised above the foundation on which the 
confidence is rested. It will be seen immediately 
that Jesus, as proclaimed by Paul, is a foundation 
very different from that which is furnished by pre- 
destination ; but it is most important to see clearly 
that a foundation for the mind is simply that on 



286 PREDESTINATION 

which the mind may rest with intelligent confidence 
— that in view of which all fear and trembling are 
dismissed, and are superseded by the firm unshaken 
trust of the soul — that by which man is intelligent- 
ly and most reasonably assured that the bosom of 
his God is open for him, as the heart of the prodi- 
gal's father was for his returning son — that in view 
of which the sinner actually goes to a throne of 
grace sure of welcome, and hopes to go to a throne 
of judgment in perfect safety. Jesus Christ is this 
foundation, so that " he that believeth in Him shall 
not be confounded." It is most important, then, 
to see whether Paul leaned upon this foundation as 
one limited to the accommodation of only some 
men, or as actually laid for all. This will be infalli- 
bly seen from his own words. When, then, he 
came among the Corinthians, and laid this founda- 
tion at Corinth first, how did he speak ? He tells 
us himself " Christ died for our sins according to 
the scriptures, and was buried, and rose again the 
third day, according to the scriptures." This he 
declares to have been the '■'•gospel'''' which he first 
of all preached to them. How could any man of 
all his hearers understand by this, that Jesus died 
only for some of them? Only think, my hearer, if 
you had been one of Paul's audience, and you had 
heard him at the very first, before there was a sin- 
gle Christian at Corinth besides himself, declaring 
that Jesus died for " our " sins, would you not have 
understood yourself as included in this " our ? " 
Paul had manifestly no idea of limitation. No ; his 
soul burned to preach the gospel to " every crea- 
ture," because he knew that it contained a solid 



AS A FOUNDATION OF HOPE. 287 

ground of confidence and hope for every creature 
whose ears it could reach. But we are not left 
even with this. Paul tells us in another place how 
he believed in Jesus. 2 Cor. v. 14, 15 : — "For the 
love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus 
judge." Now, how did he jtidge ? Did he de- 
cide in his mind that Jesus had only died for some 
men? Read his own words: — "We thus judge, 
that if one died for all, then were all dead; and that 
He died for all, that they who live " — (Who were 
these ? — " t/iei/ loho live " — most assuredly they 
who are raised from among the " all " that are dead 
— that is, believers) — " might not live unto them- 
selves, but unto Him who died for them and rose 
again." " They who live," are manifestly a part 
only of those for whom Jesus died. How is it ji905- 
slhle for any man to fail in perceiving that, when 
Paul laid the foundation at Corinth, it was in the 
all-embracing gospel of the death of Jesus for the 
life of the world. Here, then, my hearer, is the 
foundation. Is it not broad enough for you? Is it 
not firm enough for you ? There are those who 
tell you that if it be an atonement for all, it is no 
ground of confidence for any — are you of this 
mind ? Then remember this,* you differ essentially 
from him who declared that Jesus did die for all, 
and yet gloried in the cross as far more than suffi- 
cient for him. Mark especially, that in the founda- 
tion thus viewed there is nothing required but Jesus 
to give you eternal confidence. Since God is satis- 
fied with His work of expiation, and satisfied for 
you, and ready to receive you on this ground, as a 
poor, guilty sinner, and as such only, there is no 



288 PREDESTINATION 

room for your leaving this foundation to build on 
your j)osseS8ion of a " new eye," or on your grasp- 
ing uitli a " new hand," or your cleaving with a 
"new heart." All as you are, you are atoned for 
by the accursed death being suffered in your stead, 
and you are most heartily welcome to look up and 
say Abba, Father, to your God, for His heart and 
His hand are stretched forth to you in peace and 
mercy. He stands by the sacrifice — one hand rests 
upon the Lamb in token»of righteous and honora- 
ble satisfaction with tliat atonement, and the other 
is extended to you, while He says, " Come and let 
us reason together, though your sins be as scarlet, 
they shall be as white as snow." O ! my hearer, if 
this be not ground of confidence, what can be so? 
And mark well, this is unchangeable ground. This 
rock is not like the ever-shifting sands of your own 
feelings and experiences — this is unchangeable as 
God, for it is just His changeless love, and the 
changeless propitiation on account of which you are 
called upon to dismiss your fears. It is love to you 
as a sinner. It is an atonement for your sins. It 
is welcome to the prodigal before he has got the 
ring on his hand, or shoes on his feet, for it is after 
he has been clasped t« the bosom of his forgiving 
Father that these are given him. He is accepted, 
joyfully accepted, all as he is, in the wretchedness 
of a prodigal, on the ground that all his sins are 
borne by another. 

2. Let us noio consider the inscription that is 
seen on this foundation. This consists of the two 
sentences — " The Lord knoweth them that are 
His," and " Let every one that nameth the name of 



AS A FOUNDATION OF HOPE. 289 

Christ depart from iniquity." The word rendered 
" seal " in the passage before us has not only this 
meaning, but also that of the impression made by 
the seal (see Rev. ix. 4), and that is equivalent to 
" inscription " in this case. Paul, therefore, sets 
the gospel of Jesus, and thus Jesus Himself before 
our minds, under the figure of a foundation-stone 
with this inscription. Thus, no one can lean upon 
the foundation without being aware of these two 
great truths. The figure is beautiful and striking. 
It is that of a stone on which the believer is led to 
build his all for time and eternity ; and when first 
he approaches this stone, he can not but read upon 
it the plain legible inscription that stares him in the 
face. In plain language, he can not trust in Jesus 
without knowing these two things. It is most clear, 
then, that these must be truths of the very greatest 
moment. Let us attend to them in their order. 

(1.) " The Lord knoweth them that are His."^^ 
This is the part of the passage in which the doc- 
trine of a secret and eternal election is supposed to 
be taught. One thing, however, is fatal to this 
idea, and it is this : — It involves the notion that a 
man may be Christ's before he believes the gospel. 
It proceeds on the assumption that many of those 
known by the Lord as " his," are yet full of the 
spirit of the world, and led captive by Satan at his 
will. This is an inseparable and self-destructive 
part of the doctrine of predestination or election 
to faith. It brings the doctrine into perpetual col- 
lision with the Bible. "If any man have not the 
spirit of Christ, he is none of Sis:'' How, in the 
face of such a declaration can we believe that those 

25 



290 PEEDESTINATION 

are His, and known as His, who are now " children 
of wrath," and *' fulfilling the desires of the flesh ? " 
How can the phrase, — " The Lord knoweth them 
that are His" be extended beyond the number of 
those who have the Spirit of Christ ? It is impos- 
sible to do so without a direct contradiction of the 
Bible. Let us read the inscription according to 
this truth, that those only who have the spirit of 
Jesus are His, and the idea of an election separat- 
ing two masses of men by an eternal decree, disap- 
pears entirely from the text before ns. It does not 
leave even a shadow behind. This is in perfect ac- 
cordance with the other scriptures where the same 
sentiment occurs. Neh. i. 7 — " And He knoweth 
them that trust in Him." Also, Num. xvi. 5 — 
" And He spake unto Korah, and to all his compa- 
ny, saying, Even to-morrow, the Lord will show 
who are His, and who are holy." This is rendered 
by the Septuagint : — " The Lord will know (or ac- 
knowledge) who are His, and who are holy." We 
may also clearly learn fi-orn these passages the great 
object of such an inscription upon the foundation 
stone of the spiritual temple. In Num. xvi. the 
event recorded is a contention between the servants 
of God and those of Satan, in which the latter 
claimed to be the true servants of Jehovah. This 
was just what Paul was engaged with when he 
wrote to Timothy. Two of the servants of the 
great deceiver had risen up in the garb of the Chris- 
tian profession, and they opposed the apostle, and 
overthrew the faith of some. What was the apos- 
tle's firm consolation ? " The Lord knoweth them 
that ar© His." He stood in the very position of 



AS A FOUNDATION OF HOPE. 291 

Moses with the company of Korah ; and he had the 
very same confidence that the Lord knew and 
would acknowledge those who had His Spirit, and 
stood in reality on His side. The same truth is 
most strikingly manifested in Nahum i. V, 8 — "The 
Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble : 
and He knoweth them that trust in Him. But with 
an over-running flood He will make an utter end 
of the place thereof, and darkness shall pursue His 
enemies." 

Here it is most clear that the great end of the 
truth, which the apostle says is inscribed on the 
great foundation, is to convince men that nothing 
that is false in their professions will stand with God. 
How important, my hearer, then, is this inscription ! 
How apt are men only to pretend to rest in Jesus ! 
The apostle brings all such up to the test of an 
Omniscient eye, and assures them of the fundamen- 
tal truth, that their pretenses and their professions 
are vain ; and, moreover, he gives the true ground 
of rest and peace to the Christian when opposed 
by the false professor. The combat may appear 
doubtful. Many may be led away from the truth, 
and may do as those did whose faith was over- 
thrown in the days of Paul. It may seem, as if for 
a time, that error has the mastery, but the Lord 
knows and will acknowledge them that are His. 
This is' most manifestly the force and aim of Paul's 
language, and no one can look at it in its proper 
light, without seeing the immense difierence be- 
tween it and the cold and icy fixtures of universal 
predestination. All are welcome to Jesus, and when 
truly and honestly yielded to Him, every one has 



292 PREDESTI N ATI ON 

the full force of this blessed inscription to bear him 
up in every trial. 

(2.) " Let every one who names the name of 
Christ depart from iniquity?'' Such is the remain- 
ing portion of the inscription which is seen upon 
that foundation which is laid in Zion. No one can 
truly approach the cross without feeling that there 
is no sympathy between Jesus and sin. No man 
ever yet truly knew the Saviour and continued in 
iniquity. " He that saith, I know Him, and keep- 
eth not His commandments, is a liar." Such is the 
strong and solemn declaration of the word of God. 
Most assuredly, therefore, is it impossible for any 
one to lean on this tried stone without being sep- 
arated from iniquity. My dear hearer, let me faith- 
fully and kindly ask you to ponder this part of the 
inscription upon the foundation of liuman hope. 
Kemember there is no rest in Jesus' atonement 
which is consistent with the continuance in what 
you know to be wrong. If you are in such a 
course, depend upon it you are not resting upon 
Jesus, the Son of God, the Saviour of the world — 
you may have rest, but it is not rest on Him. 

I come, then, to a close, and once more press the 
great general truth upon the mind of ray hearer, 
that you are as free to the love of your God at this 
moment, as the utmost welcome of His heart of 
love can possibly make you. As God the 'Father, 
Jehovah has loved you from eternity, and in spite 
of all your sins He loves you still. As the Son, He 
hath borne your curse, so that *' come'''' is the lan- 
guage of justice now as well as that of mercy. As 
the Holy Spirit, He has condescended to plead and 



AS A FOUNDATION OF HOPE. 



293 



Strive with you, that He might fix your eye upon 
the glorious hberty provided for you by the death 
of Jesus. Not a decree that ever He passed is 
against your now entering into peace with your 
kind and propitiated God — all, all is free. All com- 
bine to draw you with the cords of love : " The 
Spirit and the Bride say, Come — and let him that 
heareth say, Come — and let him that is athirst come 
— and whosoever will, let him take the water of life 
freely." 



THE END. 



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